Diablo: The Awakening of Chaos
by Rising Dragon
Summary: Chapter 8 up! The battle has begun to wane, as Tyrael's latest agent comes to help Rua. Later, Rua learns of his destiny from a letter written by his departed sister, and prepares to take the next step of his quest.
1. Story Summary

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Summary

_Ten years…_

That is how long it has been since the Heretic War began… the war between seven mortal warriors and the Prime Evils. An amazon, an assassin, a barbarian, a druid, a necromancer, a paladin, and a sorceress traveled the length of the world, over the temperate climates of the Western Kingdoms, across the desert wastes of Aranoch, through the hot, humid jungles of Kurast… and even into Hell itself. And it ended within the vast mountain of Arreat, deep within the Worldstone Keep, where Baal, the Lord of Destruction, played his final hand by corrupting the Worldstone before he was slain by the Heroes. And thus, the Heretic War ended.

But the Sin War… 

_It _has not ended. Even thrown deep into the Abyss, Diablo still has other ways of corrupting the mortal plane and finally winning the war over All Creation.

Of all the corrupt humans in the world, his greatest minion was Ziatoch. Ziatoch, who ventured through the Infernal Gate to pledge his service to Diablo in person. Ziatoch, who feared no Angel, no Light.

Ziatoch, the Master of Darkness.

Ziatoch, commanded by Diablo, was sent to find a way to free the Lord of Terror and his brothers, bringing them back through the Abyss in their original bodies and with all their powers. But Ziatoch also learned of something else… something else more sinister than the Three Brothers… and that it awaits to be freed…

_Ten years…_


	2. Prologue: A Promise of Vengeance

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Prologue

A Promise of Vengeance

Kalia swung low with her katana and parried the dark warrior's blow. She twisted her wrist and spun her opponent's sword off of hers and lashed out in a flurry of slashes, but each strike was parried. _This isn't good, _she thought as she looked off at her brother Rua, who was trying to free himself from the fallen wall that was collapsed by Ziatoch's powerful spell. She swung upward again with her blade and blocked Ziatoch's dark sword.

"Wrong move," he whispered as he locked blades and slammed her against the wall of the ruins. She managed to push him off and finally got a look at the warrior that the Angels and Archangels had begun to call the Master of Darkness. Black and purple armor covered his entire body. On the cuirass, two dark blue gems sided a large demons' skull, and strange symbols were etched into the pauldrons. The gold trim of the armor was laced in runes. On his circular shield was a pointed red cross with its arms raised upward, and his long, pale white hair was covered by a horned helm with a four horns on the sides, two of them curving upwards and two behind them jutting out, a large triangular blue gem in the forehead and a dark purple plume running down the back.

But it was the sword that scared her. It was Kasra, the Soul Crusher. Its three-foot black blade shone with an eerie purple light, the crossguard was a dark gray and shaped like a pair of thick demon wings, linked with a demon skull. Its hilt was ten inches and wrapped in black leather, and the pommel was a purple arrowhead diamond. This unholy demonblade had destroyed the many souls it had taken from the bodies of its victims.

"It's been a long time, Kalia. I will enjoy destroying you," Ziatoch said. Kalia brushed her long, brown hair back from her face, her green eyes glaring fiercely at the Master of Darkness. Normally the Dragonheart family glare would make the bravest warriors tremble and cower in fear. But the Master of Darkness was truly afraid of nothing, not even the Archangel Tyrael. Kalia lifted her sword and charged her opponent again, knowing that she could not survive this fight.

Kalia swung low and her katana clashed against the Master of Darkness' sword. Ziatoch quickly knocked her sword upward and slashed at her stomach, but she parried the attack. She thrust her blade at his chest but the dark warrior's shield blocked it. Ziatoch's sword came screaming down at Kalia, but she managed to jump out of the way. Her swordblade burst into fire with her Enchant spell and she quickly slashed him, and her katana managed to bite through the dark armor and into his flesh. Ziatoch grunted in pain and slammed her in the chest with his shield, knocking her back. On and on their blades crashed, neither of them letting up and neither letting the other gain ground. They continued to fight, but Kalia was losing strength. She wished she had her own sword, but she had Tyrael hide the powerful weapon so Rua could have it when he'd have enough experience to wield it, were she to fail her task. _I can't lose this fight, too much is riding on this..._ she thought. Her mind's eye quickly flashed an old memory.

_She stood there in a magnificent room. There was a strange device in the center, and the legendary Archangel Tyrael floated next to it._

_"You must stop Ziatoch from reaching that dark prison," said Tyrael._

_"Why? What's imprisoned there?" Kalia asked the enigmatic Archangel._

_  
_

_"Inside is a dreaded creature, one more powerful than the Three combined. It once ravaged your world, and it killed the few brave warriors who stood against it, but not before they imprisoned it," he responded, "I watched as it decimated the grand cities built in that time, powerless to stop it. I tried to defeat it, but not even my powers could harm it."_

_Kalia stared in disbelief as the strange object flickered and projected an image of the chaotic power of the Karognis. The dark creature was standing in the middle of a grand city that was ablaze. Its eyes flashed, and a group of warriors burst in flames. It opened its maw and a massive beam of black energy shot forward, creating explosions from the buildings it cut through. People of an extinct race ran terrified. One swipe of a claw removed a large portion of a gigantic tower, causing it to topple to the ground. It reared its head up and loosed a deafening roar as destruction ravaged the city and its doomed citizens._

In the next second, she was back to reality. She shot Ziatoch the family glare again.

"You won't win, demon master," Kalia said, "I won't let you. I will take you down."

Ziatoch smirked at his opponent. "By all means, come and try to _take me down_," he laughed.

Kalia screamed in anger and thrust her blade at Ziatoch, which suddenly burst into magical flame. But Ziatoch was expecting such an attack, and he knocked it away and slashed her in the arm. Kalia winced in pain, but jumped up and kicked Ziatoch across the head. He shook it off and knocked her down. She was about to get up but ended up being stared down by the Master as the Soul Crusher was pointed at her face. He lifted up Kasra, preparing to deliver the final blow when he was suddenly knocked to the ground as Rua slammed into him.

"Hurry up, Sis!" he said as he helped her up. Blood streamed down the right side of his face from two cuts in the form of a cross, and another cut just under his left eye. He readied his own longsword, but the black spheres of the Binding Darkness spell appeared around him and wrapped around him before flinging him into the wall.

"Stupid brat," Ziatoch sneered, "This grows old, Kalia. Enough of these games. It is time to end this." Ziatoch sheathed Kasra and raised his black-gloved hand, pointing it at Kalia. She already knew it was over for her. A red bolt of lightning lanced out at Kalia, striking her through her chest. She screamed in agony, and her lifeless body fell. She was dead before she hit the ground.

Ziatoch merely laughed and began to walk off, forgetting about young Rua. The boy walked up, weary, to his sister's body. He fell to his knees as he held her close to him.

"Sis... I'll get him. I'll defeat Ziatoch. I promise," he said.

He flung his head back and screamed his anger into the night sky.


	3. 01: Desert Terror

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Chapter One

Desert Terror

"Halt! Who are you?" the battle-hardened guard demanded, pointing his spear at the unknown warrior before him. The warrior merely lifted his hand out of the battle-worn red cape, revealing the armor underneath, and moved the spear out of the way.

"You don't need to know," he said. He glared at the old soldier with his impetuous green eyes from under his dark brown hair, making the guard flinch, and then walked through the gate to the town of Lut Gholien. He had a cross-shaped scar across the right side of his face, and another scar just underneath his left eye. The sun had darkened his skin, and he wore dulled battle-armor over dark blue and black garb. A worn, socketed longsword was strapped to his left hip, and inserted in it were four perfect gems—a ruby, a sapphire, a topaz, and an emerald. Truly, a weapon to be feared.

Rua Dragonheart had long grown up since the death of his sister, Kalia Dragonheart, by the hands of Ziatoch, nearly four years earlier.

He wrapped himself up in his cape with one hand and shielded his eyes from the sandstorm with the other as he walked quietly down the streets, trying to ponder what Ziatoch's next move would be. It was rumored that he would strike in the Western Kingdoms soon. He planned on being there when he did.

_And then I'll be able to settle the score, _he thought.

He decided to continue moving into the darker part of the town, and he entered Atma's tavern. He ordered some ale and paid Atma while he carefully scrutinized the occupants of the tavern. The person he was looking for was not here yet, and he noticed that several people were looking at him hungrily. Rua subtly swept his cape back with his free hand to reveal his sword, and the others found a renewed interest in the ale before them.

Rua looked up and saw a large man enter the tavern. He was tall, about 6'5," with slightly long, blond hair and hazel eyes. He wore a faded, sleeveless white shirt, black trousers, and wolf-skin boots. In a scabbard on his back was a massive sword. His hands were clothed in steel gauntlets, and there was a small dagger on the scabbard's strap. The newcomer wore a carefree grin that made those who looked at him want to smack it off of him. He scanned the tavern, and when his eyes rested on Rua, they lit in recognition and he strolled across and sat next to him, ordering some ale.

"About time you got here, Rua," he said, "You were supposed to be here last week."

"I got laid up for a while, Jordan," Rua replied, "How did you get in here, anyway?"

Jordan Brewer was a notorious bandit known throughout the Western Kingdoms and Aranoch. He was also the head of the checkpoint in the Barrier Mountains, the mountain range that separated the Western Kingdoms from the Aranoch Wastes. He was a lover of wine, women, and song, and wanted in at least 14 different cities worldwide.

Jordan laughed at the question. "These amateurs could never catch me! You should know that by now!"

Rua smiled slightly, and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Good to have you back, Jordan," he said. He moved his chair back and started for the door. Jordan didn't bother to pay for his drink, and left with Rua, taking his drink, and the mug, with him. Together, they walked the streets of Lut Gholien, discussing the rumors of Ziatoch's supposed appearance in the Kingdoms.

"Well, you were right, Rua," Jordan said, "My friends and I scoped out the mountains… there are hundreds of them there. It's only a matter of time when he unleashes them all."

"Hundreds of them? Gods, curse it all! And these damned nobles here won't believe it."

"I don't think he's going to attack the Kingdoms."

"What makes you think that?" Rua asked slowly.

Jordan sighed and explained. "Those demons were searching for something in the mountains. They called it… the Revival Key, or something like that. Not many of my men know demon tongue. Whatever it is, Ziatoch wants it badly. Those monsters were nearly wetting themselves…"

"Revival Key? Wait… I don't like the sound of that. What could it be?"

"I have no idea. Have you heard from Relayia yet?"

"No… I haven't. I hope she's okay."

"There is a lot riding on her shoulders."

Rua did not respond, for at that moment, several screams rose into the air as an explosion of black fire erupted in the town square. The two warriors looked at each other once, then rushed in the direction of the fire. The two friends looked around in surprise at the madness. Many people had been killed, and several _demons _were running amok in the streets. Rua and Jordan both drew their swords, and with a loud cry, charged into the fray.

Jordan reached the first monster, a massive Sand Maggot. The large insect screeched and spit its venom at the bandit, but Jordan dodged the projectile and buried his large sword in the monster's head. He quickly twisted round and swung horizontally and cleaved a Sabercat in half. He looked around and ran off against some more demons, screaming madly the entire way.

Rua ran at his enemies, concentrated, and began pulling air particles around him, making him invisible and speeding him up greatly. In one swift attack, Rua's blazing sword had slashed a Sabercat entirely in half and reappeared about fifteen paces behind it. It was the attack Phase Shift, and it was one of his most powerful attacks. He whipped around and lashed out with his booted foot at another Sabercat's stomach before burying his blade into her head.

More enemies appeared. A large Sand Maggot ran up toward a small child, its jaws snapping greedily. Rua saw and launched himself up into the air and landed on its back, then stabbed his sword down into the insect's neck. Fire, frost, lighting, and poison washed out of the blade and instantly killed the monster. Rua took off from the mutated beast's corpse and into a group of Scarab Demons. Each slice of his blade brought bolts of lightning from the demons' skin, but he nimbly dodged each.

Two Blunderbores had emerged from the flames. Their huge arms carried the putrefying corpse of a human, wrapped up in chains to be used as giant clubs. Jordan saw that he finally found some opponents worth his strength. With a mighty shout, Jordan charged the two demons with his huge sword raised high. The monsters roared back and charged. They met head-on, and Jordan's blade landed hit after hit on the massive arms and legs of the monsters.

All the while, Jordan quickly reached over and grabbed objects from the monsters: gold, potions, useless pieces of junk. Soon he got bored, and with one quick slice, he spilled the guts of one of the Blunderbores. The demon screamed and fell to the ground, and its companion leaped over it and swung hard at the bandit. Jordan's sword didn't just parry the monster's cabalistic weapon; it cleaved right through it and buried it in the monster's neck.

Rua's stood between three Sand Raiders, all brandishing katanas in their hands. A breeze started to blow, causing the green-eyed warrior's tattered red cape to billow back. He raised one eyebrow at the monster ahead of him. That was all that was needed. The demons all charged.

Rua focused the air particles under him to launch himself high into the air, and he then dropped down sword first. His blade landed right in the center of the Sand Raider's chest, killing it instantly—the Driver attack. He pushed himself off the corpse and began to cross swords with the other two monsters, expertly blocking and parrying the eight blades that lashed out at him. Jordan's sword flew through the air like a javelin and severed the spinal cord of the monster on Rua's left, surprising the Raider on the right. Rua saw his chance and beheaded the demon.

The other monsters were being rounded up and slain by Griez, the mercenary captain, Geglash, the city drunk, and the other soldiers commanded by Griez. Soon, all the demons were dead. Griez and Geglash wandered up to the two of them, recognizing both as friends. The drunk was laughing.

"Gods, that was fun! But it kills me ta think that it's all because of the breakin' of the Worldstone."

Rua and Jordan exchanged dark, knowing looks, and then Rua turned to the two others and spoke.

"That attack wasn't because of the Worldstone."

Griez spoke up. "What? How would you know, Rua?"

"Because if it was, there'd be Megademons and Oblivion Knights attacking," Jordan replied darkly, "those creatures were native."

"What? Then why'd they attack?" Griez asked.

"Because of the Master of Darkness," Rua said, "He's here… and he's hoping to kill me to get me out of his plans."

Griez and Geglash looked at each other as the green-eyed warrior walked off to the Desert Rose Inn.

* * *

It was the dream again. Always the dream.

_Light. Blinding white light. Rua held up his hand to block some of it, and soon the light parted. And he saw a nightmare._

_It was a rocky plain. The land looked dead and barren. Above him, the sky blazed a fierce crimson. Black clouds churned and boiled throughout it. And there were two figures. One looked slightly normal. The other was a monster of hellish design._

_The first being before him looked human… but he was clothed in black robes, and strange, twisted armor. A black hood covered the figure's face, and jutting from his back were wings very much like those belonging to the Archangels. But they were black. Those wings pulsed and shone with an eerie light. In the corrupted Archangel's hand was a familiar sword… it was Ziatoch's sword, Kasra._

_Then the demon came into focus. This monster was huge… it was shaped like a human, but with more demonic features. It was nearly twelve feet tall and covered from soles to crown in black scales. Silver scales covered its clawed feet and hands. Its head was long, jutting vertically. It had two glowing blue reptilian eyes. It had no mouth… none that he could see, at any rate. Wings like a bat's grew from its back, but the membranes weren't flesh at all… they were sheets of purple fire. Soot-colored bone plates covered the beast's shoulders, chest, and upper legs. From its back grew a long tail, a curving spike at the end. In its claws was a long black staff with two jagged, curved blades pointing forward, side-by-side._

_The two monsters charged. Kasra and the demonic staff swung at the same time, and when they struck, white light blinded him again. When the light cleared, Rua saw that neither beings were there. They were gone, and in their place was a large, glowing black crystal shaped like a double-ended spike. He reached out to touch it, even though his mind screamed not to. His fingers were almost there…_

_And then he was walking along a hall. Strange carvings were in its golden walls. He walked down it, past the decaying bodies of slain demons. He walked up steps and through a red, rectangular portal and he then found himself in a large room that had hundreds of glowing red crystals growing out of the walls… no. They weren't growing from the walls… they looked like they were rammed into the walls from a great explosion. A pathway spanned over a pit to a large floating blue crystal._

_Something was shining with golden light in that crystal. He walked toward the shining object… he saw that it was a sword of crystal and metal… the most elegant sword he had ever seen. He was about to touch it when the voice spoke…_

_"Ye who wields the power of the Angels… why do ye wield such power?"_ _Suddenly, white light blazed from the sword. Rua threw his hands to his eyes and—_

—shot up in his bed, drenched in cold sweat.

It was the damned dream again. What did it mean? Who were they? That corrupted Archangel and that huge black demon… and that voice. That voice commanded respect… and power. What did it mean when it asked him why he wielded the power of Angels? He had hardly any magical prowess at all… much less the awesome sorcery wielded by the elite warriors of the High Heavens.

Rua looked around. His clothes were on the small table, along with his few pieces of armor. His sword was sheathed and was just under his bed. He sighed. _Not going to be any more sleep for tonight,_ he thought. He slid out of the bed and began to change into his clothes and armor. He had just strapped on his sword and slipped his cape on when he heard the first screams.

Rua charged out of the building and into the sandy streets. Demons. Everywhere there were demons. Two of them, both Blood Lords, spotted him and charged. Rua's sword was instantly out of its sheathe, and then Rua was dashing forward to meet his opponents. He Phase Shifted past one, spilling its entrails into the sand, and then whipped around and slashed the remaining demon across the back, through the armor and into the spinal cord. The demon was killed instantly. Just then, Jordan rushed up beside him. "Rua!" he shouted, "It's Ziatoch! He's here!"

Rua's eyes thinned, and suddenly, an unearthly cry arose. The two warriors whipped around and saw a frightening site. A Dracolich. The undead dragon stood on its hind feet, and its arms were coursing with dark energy. Its tattered and grotesque wings fluttered uselessly. Rotting scales hung off its body, and in its exposed ribcage was a glowing sphere: the dragon's soul. The Dracolich dropped to all fours and roared again. Then Rua saw him.

Standing on the roof of a nearby building, with his black blade drawn, was the Master of Darkness. His black and purple armor had a strange glow cast by the fires springing up all around the city. He threw back his head and laughed cruelly. The Dracolich charged.

* * *

Ziatoch looked out over the dunes to the shining jewel of Lut Gholien with his cruel red eyes. He wore completely black clothes, ornate and yet sturdy for travel at the same time. Strapped to his side was Kasra. The wind blew back his white hair, and the Master of Darkness started to smile. He felt _his_ aura. The aura of the brother of Kalia Dragonheart. The aura of the one who was causing so much frustration in his plans to acquire the keys. He turned around and gazed out over his forces. It was rather small, but it was powerful. And no one would expect for them to appear in the heart of the city.

His spy said that that accursed Dragonheart brat had arrived there. And since Rua was indeed there, Ziatoch would make sure that the boy would never leave the city alive. In fact, he might just make sure that _no one_ would leave Lut Gholien alive. With a thought, Ziatoch summoned the Armor of Hell's Darkness.

A black aura surrounded him. Black light flashed from his hands, waist, feet, and neck, and then, the Grasp of Cruelty appeared on his hands, the Girth of Pain was strapped around his waist with Kasra, the Path of Torment adorned his feet, and the Eye of Anguish appeared around his neck. Another flash of dark light, and the Embodiment of Destruction covered his body, the horned and plumed Gaze of Terror was on his head, and the Emblem of Hatred appeared strapped to his left arm.

Dark power instantly filled his body. The dark magic that had been granted by his Lord was fresh in his mind. Kasra hummed at his side, eager for fresh blood and fresh souls to consume. He was ready. He snapped his fingers and then quickly opened his right hand, and a twisted wand-like device with black demon wings at the tip was suddenly in his hands. These were the Wings of Chaos, a magical device to grant mass teleportation of demons and corrupt warriors. Perfect for the Master of Darkness, the elite general of the Prime Evils' minions.

With a thought, Ziatoch teleported himself and his small force into the heart of Lut Gholien. Instantly he began ordering his demons to attack. His massive Dracolich burst out of ground and began mauling several of the guards. Ziatoch himself drew Kasra and struck down several soldiers, then teleported himself to the top of a building.

Something caught his eye, and he turned to look at it. Sure enough, there was Dragonheart and his thieving friend. Brewer, he believed his name to be. Not that it mattered. They would all be dead this eve! With a malicious leer, Ziatoch mentally commanded his Dracolich to attack the two of them. The undead dragon landed on its forelegs and roared.

Ziatoch laughed. Things were going smoothly.


	4. 02: The Journey West

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Chapter Two

The Journey West

Rua and Jordan dove away as the Dracolich charged them. It collided with a building, and rubble flew everywhere. Rua quickly got up and readied his weapon, as did Jordan. However, their battle with the undead dragon was cut short as a flock of six succubi descended upon the two warriors.

The first of the flying demons lashed out at Rua with her talons. Rua easily dodged and struck her across the side with his sword. The demon shrieked in anger and lashed out with a red ball of energy as she flew backwards from the offending blade. It struck the green-eyed warrior square in the chest and sent him flying backward. He picked himself back up and Phase Shifted past the succubus, killing it easily.

Two succubi launched themselves at Jordan, screeching all the way. Jordan screamed back as he lunged at the two demonic women. His sword managed to split one succubus's head in half, and it dropped dead into the dusty street. The other raked her claws across his back, and he yelled out in pain and anger as he elbowed the demon in the face and then buried his massive sword into her brain.

The other demons flew up out of the way before Rua and Jordan could attack them and began launching multiple balls of energy. Back and forth, side to side, the two warriors dodged the spells, and then an unearthly roar split the air. The Dracolich had freed itself from the rubble of the building it had collided with. It shook its putrefying body to rid itself of the last of the rubble, and then roared again as it charged.

The succubi scattered at the unholy abomination's cry. Rua and Jordan glanced at each other, and nodded. As one they raised their swords, as one they screamed back defiantly, and as one they charged to meet their opponent.

As Rua charged towards the Dracolich, he slowed down a little and cast a spell. A large ball of fire leapt from his hand and exploded against the undead dragon's face, spewing fire everywhere and causing it to rear back on its hind legs and roar in anger. It was the opening he hoped for, and Rua dashed forward and struck the Dracolich's ribcage repeatedly… to no effect. The undead dragon's claw swept out and slammed him away, and it roared again.

It turned towards its dazed prey and moved forward, and then stumbled. Stupidly it gazed at the stump of its rotted forearm, and the rest of it next to Jordan. The Dracolich growled as the eye-sockets of its skull began to glow a fierce red. It opened its mouth.

Two large fireballs streaked out at the monster and collided with its face. The monster roared in anger and turned its breath weapon on Rua and the mage instead of the bandit. The two of them dashed off to the sides as the globs of acid flew at them, but the mage didn't make it. He screamed horribly as the acid melted through his flesh.

Rua readied his own sword as he quickly gazed at the body of the Dracolich. Normal weapons wouldn't hurt it, so he had to find out the weakness. _The soul! _The thought shot through his mind. Attack the soul and the connection would be severed. But how could he break through the ribcage of the monster? "Jordan!" he shouted, "Go for the soul! The glowing orb in its chest!" The bandit nodded his affirmative.

The undead dragon roared in fury. Suddenly, swirls of dark energy surrounded the rotted stump of its severed leg and the stump of the leg on the ground. The leg twitched, and stood upright, and soon the swirls of magic connected the limbs together, rebinding it with putrid flesh. Rua felt sick. _Not good._

Rua thrust both of his arms out and chanted for a strong spell. He cried out the activation words for his Flare spell and a large cone of fire lashed out from his hands, charring the putrid flesh of the Dracolich. The beast cried out in pain, but came forward through the spell nonetheless. The monster twisted around sharply, sending its bony tail to fly out at Rua. It was what he was waiting for. The green-eyed warrior shot upward using Driver and fell down sword-first into the monster's spine, causing the elemental powers of the perfect gems to explode against the undead dragon's back. The Dracolich growled in fury and began beating its wings and thrashing about, trying to dislodge the pest on its back.

Rua held onto the sword stuck into the monster's back for dear life. Meanwhile, he tried to concentrate for another spell. He was about to cry out the chant for another Flare spell when one of the succubi that had gotten away earlier swooped down behind him and lifted him, sword and all, into the air. The demonic woman shrieked in glee as she dropped the green-eyed warrior, sending him plummeting down to the street. Rua hit the ground with a sickening thud, and his world swam out of focus.

Meanwhile, a few demons were assaulting Jordan. Two bovine-like Blood Lords came at him from different directions, their axes flashing, as a Succubus dove down from overhead. His massive sword swept out at the succubus, causing the demoness to back off, shrieking. Before it could get away, however, Jordan caught her by the talon and swung her down atop one of the charging Blood Lords. The monster toppled, and its flailing axe slashed out the succubus' throat. Jordan leaped at the remaining monster and met it blow for blow. Then, quite suddenly, the demon screamed as the Dracolich's jaws closed around its body and threw it through the air.

Jordan looked up, startled, at the monster. It loosed another one of its chilling roars and lunged at the bandit lord. Jordan flung himself to the side and swung one-handed with this sword at the undead dragon. His slash was awkward, though, and it glanced off of the Dracolich's only remaining horn. The monster growled and turned towards Jordan, readying its acid breath weapon.

A primal scream ripped through the air as Rua descended from the sky with his Driver attack on the Dracolich's head. His blade punched through the base of the monster's skull, skewering through the already rotted brain. The undead dragon screamed and reared back. Rua easily disengaged his sword and back-flipped off of the monster's head, landing and readying himself for the next attack. The monster roared, and began spraying its breath weapon around. Walls, demons, and soldiers were coated with the burning acid.

Rua and Jordan jumped out of the way of the acid before it could coat them, too. However, the Dracolich's tail shot out and struck Jordan in the chest, and sent the bandit lord flying through the air. He struck the wall of a large building that had already been damaged by the undead dragon, and his body punched through, causing the wall to collapse partially inside. Rua cursed and slashed at the tail when it came in his direction. The magical blade sliced through the tip of the tail, and it flew off to the side, leaving the green-eyed warrior unharmed.

Jordan painfully pulled himself out of the rubble to find himself in the Thieves' Guild apothecary. The room was dark. Shelves covered the walls, holding up strange mixtures, potions, and ingredients. Many of the bottles had fallen and shattered, and the stains from the potions covered the walls and floor. Several of the mixtures were burning holes into the surfaces. He stumbled around, searching for his weapon. He found his blade pinned down under some rubble, and he shifted the large chunks of rock off of his sword. One stone fell with a loud _thud_ and a few more bottles tumbled and fell. Jordan winced at the sound. He knew some of the things in here were explosive.

Explosive! That was it! They needed something to break through the ribs, and strike the soul with something magical. Rua had the only magical weapon between them, and he himself was no good with magic. The bandit began rummaging through unharmed bottles, quickly reading the labels.

_Full recovery potions… strangling gas potions… _Jordan ticked off the types mentally while searching. Soon he found some explosive potions, but… _Gods damn it all! None of these are strong enough to harm that blasted monster!_

Suddenly, something caught his eye. It was down on a low shelf, resting on a purple cushion. It was a large glass bottle, shaped like a sphere with a fluting top. Inside of it was a strange, light blue-colored mixture. He got down and examined it closely. There was a label: _Caution! Highly volatile chemical inside! Massive explosive power! Handle with care!_ Jordan smiled and carefully took the bottle off the cushion, and made his way back outside. He soon saw his chance.

Rua jumped back and flung a fireball at the advancing menace. It exploded against the monster's face, and it roared in anger. But it didn't stop coming. The undead dragon reached out with its claw and slashed at the green-eyed warrior. The attack left four large gouges in Rua's breastplate and sent him sprawling onto his back. Rua pushed himself up slightly and froze. The Dracolich roared and reared up on its hind legs, ready to crash down on the young hero.

Jordan threw the bottle and screamed at Rua.

"Rua! THE BOTTLE!"

Rua saw something blue-colored fly through the air, towards the undead dragon's chest and instantly understood. He raised his hands and chanted for his Lightning spell. The contents of the bottle had built up friction and were just a second away from colliding with the monster's ribcage when the lightning bolt lanced out from Rua's outstretched hands.

The bolt and the bottle touched and struck together at the breastbone. The bottle glowed for a split second, and suddenly, fire erupted in all directions. The force of the blast rocked the nearby buildings, slammed Rua back into the ground, and sent Jordan flying back into the apothecary. The ribcage of the Dracolich shattered, one of the forearms was ripped off of the main body, and the undead dragon screamed in pain. The soul was there, glowing. Rua pulled himself up and leaped at the monster. His blade sliced through the soul, and it winked out of existence. Deep in Rua's mind, a draconic voice spoke.

_Thank you._

* * *

Ziatoch glared coldly at the form of Rua Dragonheart as his blade sliced through the glowing soul of the imprisoned dragon. The soul instantly winked out and the body fell apart around Dragonheart, and as it did, he instantly felt the disappearance of the beast's presence in his mind.

"You may have won this battle, Dragonheart, but you will not win this war!" he cursed quietly.

The Master of Darkness already knew that the mercenaries and the city guard were decimating his legion of monsters. The boy had been lucky. Very lucky.

_Could it be that he is the prophesized one, and not Kalia Dragonheart? _He wondered, and instantly dismissed it.It couldn't be! This untrained boy couldn't possibly be the one. However, the possibility would not leave his mind. The brat had spoiled many of his plans over the past four years, and he always lived through his attacks. And if Rua really was the one, he had to be destroyed. Ziatoch wouldn't dare let his counterpart walk the world. He made his decision. _It's up to them for now, _he thought. _They are two of my best. They won't fail._

He held his right hand out and snapped his fingers. With a flash of light, the Wings of Chaos had reappeared, and with a thought, he warped instantly out of the desert jewel of Lut Gholien.

* * *

It was morning, and already the people were going about repairing the damage to the city. Men were starting to rebuild walls, clearing the streets, and disposing of the bodies of the demons. The people did not want to go near the corpse of the Dracolich, however. Rua didn't blame them.

Rua wandered the streets, looking for Jordan and a caravan trader named Warriv. He knew the man made usual trips across the Barrier to the Western Kingdoms. And if the trader was going to go, he intended to go with him. Ziatoch only came to this wasteland to take care of a problem… Rua Dragonheart. But there were demons lurking in the Barrier, and after they found this Key, it would only be a matter of time before the Master of Darkness released them onto the unwary Kingdoms. It would be a massacre. He wouldn't have any of it! He swore he would destroy Ziatoch and avenge his sister. And he would. Nothing would stop him. Nothing.

With renewed vigor, Rua forced his way through the milling townspeople. Soon enough, a large man with a large sword strapped to his back materialized at his side. "Any idea what were going to do next?" Jordan asked.

"Yes. We're going into the Barrier and finding that key. And then we're going to find Deckard Cain. Maybe he knows something about these Keys."

"I hope you're right. You're going off to find some decrepit storyteller…"

"Shut up and help me find the caravans."

After several inquires, the two warriors found themselves headed to a small square devoid of buildings. Rua smiled as he saw that the square was filled with covered wagons. Jordan smiled as he saw potential booty to plunder. Suddenly, a high-pitched, squeaky voice erupted behind them.

"Ruuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaa!"

The two warriors turned around to see something small and pink fly towards them. It slowed down and stopped before them. It looked to be a small kitten… only it was covered in pink fur, and the tail was shaped like a lizard's. A fringe of brown fur ran down from the head to the tip of the tail, and small, pink-feathered wings were flapping to keep the strange creature aloft. Around its neck was a small yellow ribbon. It gazed at Rua with bright, yellow eyes.

Rua smiled as the creature fluttered over and perched on his left shoulder. He raised one arm and gently rubbed the creature's cheek. "Welcome back, Relayia."

"You still claiming you're a baby dragon, kiddo?" Jordan asked.

"I _am _an infant dragon, twit!" Relayia snapped at the bandit in her squeaky voice.

Relayia looked like a small flying cat, but she claimed to be the offspring of a dragon… a creature that had not been seen in Sanctuary for centuries. The creature had some magical talent, and was capable of breathing fire. Jordan could testify to that; he'd been on the receiving end enough times. She had a snappy, fiery personality, not at all like her best friend's, Rua. The two had met shortly after Kalia's murder, and they had been constant companions ever since.

"So what did you learn, Re?" the green-eyed warrior asked.

"Not much," she replied, "Kurast is tense, there's been fighting around the city and the docks, and nothing native."

"Kurast is always tense… has been since the Master of Darkness assaulted Travincal."

"Speaking of him, rumor says he tried to fry this place as well!"

Rua's face darkened, and Relayia easily saw.

"Oh. You fought him?"

"No," Jordan said, "But we kicked the asses of his monsters. There was a Dracolich."

At that moment, they passed by the corpse of the Dracolich as they made their way to the square, and the little dragonet shivered. She did not like Dracoliches, for more than one reason. Soon, they were at the foot of the square, at the largest of the wagons. A short, wide man in dull white clothing, an open tan coat, and a red turban was digging through the stuff in one side of the wagon. Relayia took off and perched on top of the wagon. Rua kicked one of the wheels, and the man looked out.

"Ah, Rua, my good friend! We meet again."

"So we do, Warriv. I take it that you're headed for the Kingdoms?"

"Now that you've broken the assault of Ziatoch, I am indeed. I do not know if the bandits at the checkpoint will let me keep half of my wares, however."

Jordan coughed, and Relayia glared at him from her perch.

"Me and my companions wish to go with you. We can provide protection to your caravan. There are demons hiding within the Barrier."

"So I've heard. You know you are welcome to my caravan at any time. I owe you and your sister, Heaven illumine her soul, much for your protection on earlier ventures."

Rua and Jordan purchased stout horses to make the journey, as well as supplies. The Barrier Mountains were dangerous, and not because of demons. Only the Dark Wanderer had ever managed to cross it on foot and lived. No one who followed the Light wielded as much power as the Lord of Terror's host, however. Soon they were off, on their way to the Barrier. Jehryn, the young sultan of the city, saw them off with good fortune.

* * *

Rua turned in his saddle as they began the trek across the desert, and gazed solemnly at Lut Gholien. He had been lucky to live, this time. Just as he had been so many times before after his sister's death. He felt that there was something in Lut Gholien, something important. Perhaps there was, perhaps not.

With a sigh of regret, he turned his gaze forward, towards the gray, forbidding peaks of the Barrier Mountains. Somewhere in there was an object of power that Ziatoch was searching for. Keys of some sort. Keys to what, exactly? What was the Master of Darkness searching for?


	5. 03: The Barrier Mountains

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Chapter Three

The Barrier Mountains

Rua and Jordan looked up the winding path warily. It led into the Barrier. Somewhere up there was the bandits' checkpoint, where they would be safe. Before and beyond it lied danger. Demons were roaming freely in there. Already the two warriors had dispatched roving bands of Fallen and Carvers. Relayia perched on Rua's shoulder again.

"I don't like this, Rua," she said, "It's so… forbidding."

"I know, little friend," he replied, "Don't worry… we'll make it."

"We better… I don't like the idea of this 'key' at all," Jordan murmured darkly.

* * *

Upward and upward they went. The mountains soared high; their twisted crags making them seem like the huge teeth of some terrible beast. Cold winds blew through the mountains, creating hollow whistles and ghastly shrieks. The path curved endlessly, with the wall on one side and cliffs on the other. Sometimes it entered small canyons with jagged outcroppings overhead. The gray clouds drifted slowly above, and fog concealed the paths. The chittering sounds of small animals and demons resounded off of the strange walls. 

Rua had eased his gemmed longsword out of its scabbard and was scanning the surrounding area from atop his horse. Blood coated the blade. The demons here proved to be cunning adversaries, and they were using the canyons to great effect. However, between him, Jordan, Relayia, and the small band of merchant guards among them, they had not lost a single wagon. He wasn't going to relax though. Once they arrived at the checkpoint, he'd relax. A little.

Four times he had seen what he thought might be humans. They always tried to stay out of sight, but he saw them. He doubted they were Jordan's fellow thieves. Many people had left their homes and joined Ziatoch's side, sure that the Shadow would win and they would rule all of Creation beside the demons, now that knowledge of the Worldstone's destruction had leaked out and word of Ziatoch's successes had spread. There were demons lurking in the mountains, and Rua was sure that there would be corrupt humans among their ranks.

Jordan trotted over on his mount. His sword was also out, and its blade was coated with blood as well. His eyes scanned the area with Rua's, but he started speaking.

"The Checkpoint shouldn't be too far now," he said, "I can't be sure, since this is a different route than the one I usually take."

"Okay," replied Rua, "Once we're there we can have your… friends… help us with the search. We know what we're looking for."

"Oh? All the info we have is that it's some sort of key. We don't know what it looks like, or where it would be stored. These mountains are huge, Rua!"

"Think about, my friend… these are objects of power. Ziatoch wants them, and from the sound of it, he wants them badly. That means that Heaven had something to do with their creation… possibly to keep away some sort of weapon. Understand?"

"Yes," Jordan said slowly.

"Something like that would be guarded carefully, by powerful minions. And it would be placed in some sort of secret chamber. Probably a tomb, or a vault. How many tombs have been put into the Barrier, Jordan?"

"Next to none… I get it! This place is naturally dangerous as it is. I see your point, my friend."

Rua changed the subject. "I hope you've noticed that we've got humans watching us."

He nodded. "I have. I didn't recognize any of them. I've already alerted the guards."

"Good. I don't want any of Ziatoch's soldiers to catch us in an ambush."

Relayia's voice erupted out about a hundred spans from where Rua and Jordan were.

"Rua! I found something!"

Rua and Jordan looked at each other, and Jordan nodded before turning around and galloping over to the caravans. Rua turned around and started off towards Relayia's call. Soon enough, Jordan and the rest of the merchant guards caught up to him and they topped the rise together.

Relayia was flying a slow circle over what looked to be some sort of campsite. There were multiple ashy fire pits, and crude signs were propped up, strange angular script written on them. Ripped and shredded tents were erected here and there. There looked to be blackened bones within the fire pits. Rua grimaced, and Jordan visibly blanched.

The warriors gradually made their way down to the campsite, which had to be one made by demons. Ziatoch's minions, most likely. They dismounted and began searching through the tents and fire pits. They noticed small weapons: falchions, clubs, and small battleaxes. Weapons that looked like they'd be fit for a small child. But the warriors knew better… these were weapons wielded by Fallen, small, red-skinned, cowardly demons that have a shared hatred for humankind. Camps of Fallen, and their distant cousins, the Carvers, Devilkin, and Dark Ones, were always being sighted in the wilderness of the Kingdoms, and it would be no surprise to find them within the Barrier.

Some of the guards began examining the strange wards that had been erected around the barbaric campgrounds. Rua sheathed his sword and walked up to one of these men and asked him a question.

"Why are you looking at these? Do they mean anything?"

"There are four kinds of these demons, as I'm sure you know," the guard replied while studying the warding, "Fallen, Carvers, Devilkin, and Dark Ones."

"So it's said," Rua replied.

"These demons erect these wards to scare off other creatures, such as us humans. Well, they each have a different writing style, which declares what kind of species the demons are…"

"And what do these wards say?"

"Say? I don't know. I can't read demon script. But I recognize the styles. But this…" he shook his head and grimaced before continuing, "this ward has all four styles of script."

Rua also grimaced. "I thought only Fallen and Carvers banded together, because they're weaker than their cousins."

"You're right. Devilkin are too destructive; that's why you rarely see a shaman among their bands. Dark Ones are different… they don't trust other kinds of demons. But here, all four of them are grouped together. Why are they working together?"

Rua knew the answer, but didn't speak it. _Because they're afraid of something else, _he thought, _something stronger than them… something like the Master of Darkness._

Jordan walked over to his friend. He had sheathed his sword, and he had a troubled look on his face.

"Rua, I've seen signs that there aren't just Fallen in this camp. I've seen tracks and weaponry of bigger demons here, and of humans. The guardsmen are finding pieces of common clothing. I think they've been kidnapping humans for… for _food,_" he finished with a disgusted look.

Rua started walking through the camp, and Jordan quickly followed. The green-eyed warrior spoke.

"But that's not all, is it? There are also humans working with these things, aren't there?"

The bandit lord nodded. "Yes. The tents have human weaponry and armor inside them. But where are they? If they were hunting, they'd have left guards here, to protect the camp. Yet there isn't anyone here."

Rua stopped and turned to his friend. "You're right. I don't like where this is heading."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Yes. It has to be—LOOK OUT!"

Rua shoved a surprised Jordan out of his way and swiftly drew his sword all in one motion. He swung upward, catching a stranger's blade before it struck down Jordan. The fighters disengaged, and the stranger readied for another attack. However, as Rua jumped backward, he threw a fireball at him. It exploded against his face, and he screamed in pain as he staggered backwards. His upper body was on fire. The green-eyed warrior whipped around, his lethal blade ready.

The camp had exploded into battle. The small, humanoid red-skinned Fallen fought side-by-side with blue-skinned Carvers, orange-skinned Devilkin, and the black-skinned Dark Ones. Taller, more powerful demons that looked like humans with the lower torsos and heads of goats battled beside them, along with more human warriors in common, travel-worthy clothing. They were outnumbered, but the guards and the two heroes had the advantage of experience and Rua's magic.

Jordan lashed out continuously with his huge sword, killing Goatmen and Fallen alike. His sword swung low and cleaved through the necks of three of the smaller demons, and then he took one hand off of his sword's hilt and punched a Goatman in the snout. He took hold of his sword again and beheaded the monster, then dashed over and slashed through the back of another Goatman that was about to kill one of the guards. Three Carvers dashed up to the bandit lord, yelling at him in their strange alien language and brandishing their weapons at him. Jordan's booted foot arched upward and caught the one in the center under its grotesque head, sending the shrieking demon sailing through the air. The other two fled in fear of this large and dangerous foe.

Rua Phase Shifted past another mercenary, cutting across the man's back before reappearing and running him through the side. He dislodged his blade and quickly turned to parry another foe's sword. The green-eyed warrior struck out at the enemy three times, and was parried each time. He went in for another attack, but feinted and rolled across the ground. He shot up behind his surprised foe and slashed upward, his sword biting into his foe's backside. The man fell, and a Goatman jumped over his corpse. The monster bowled into Rua, knocking him down onto the cold ground. Rua's sword flashed out in a rising arc, and slashed open the half-human demon's stomach. The monster screamed as it toppled back. Rua pulled himself up and looked around.

Two guards charged into a band of Devilkin, their weapons striking repeatedly, leaving a trail of slain orange-skinned demons in their wake. However, a shaman, a Devilkin with horns on its head and carrying a strange staff, threw a fireball at one of the guards. It exploded against him, and the man screamed as his burning body fell to the ground. The demon then began casting strange spells, and its dead followers began to revive. Rua raised one hand and chanted out his Flare spell. The cone of fire shot out of his hand and incinerated all of them.

Jordan tried his hand against three mercenaries. They circled him warily, their weapons drawn. Jordan raised his massive sword to his side, eyeing each warrior in turn. His eye twitched, and then he lunged at the opponent in front of him. The surprised warrior brought up his spear to parry, but Jordan's downward swing cleaved through it and split his head in half. He dislodged his blade and the corpse fell to the ground, and he readied himself for the next attack. He wasn't disappointed. The other two warriors lunged at him, and a furious battle of blades began. However, Jordan tripped over the corpse of the mercenary he killed before, and he fell backwards. One mercenary smiled and readied his axe for a killing chop at Jordan, but Relayia streaked by, raking her claws across the warrior's face. The man stumbled backwards, shrieking. Jordan saw his chance and thrust his blade into the warrior's chest, then pulled himself up and removed his blade from the warrior's body. The remaining human turned to flee, but didn't get very far as Rua's Driver attack impaled him to the ground.

The merchant guards quickly finished off the remaining demons, and there were only two casualties among their ranks. Rua looked over the small battlefield and grimaced. _Only Ziatoch could make humans battle alongside demons._

Soon, the warriors were off again, making their way through the dangerous mountain range, making their way to the Barrier Checkpoint. And soon, Rua smiled as the wooden walls and stone turrets come into view through the cold mists.

* * *

Rua looked around at the Checkpoint as Warriv ordered his wagons inside. It was a wooden fort constructed into a partial square, built into one of the mountains at one corner. At the other three corners, short stone towers with pointed roofs were erected. Hard men carrying bows were walking the ramparts, looking out at the mountainside, watching for demons. People walked in and out of the towers, carrying supplies and tools. 

Rua, Relayia, and Jordan entered one of the towers and headed downstairs, under the Checkpoint. Beneath the ground, a small network of tunnels led to jail cells, a mess hall, sleeping quarters, and an armory. Bandits strode in and out of the halls, chatting with others, wooing women, and completing their daily tasks.

Jordan touched Rua's free shoulder and nodded down towards the mess hall. He followed as the bandit lord led them through the cafeteria. Many of the occupying bandits looked up from their drinks and their meals, watching the newcomers enter. Their eyes lit up in recognition. One was their boss, and they all loved him. The other was the crazy one who was determined to stop the Master of Darkness. And there was the flying cat! Who could ever forget something like that?

Jordan stopped a bandit passing by and murmured something to him. The thief nodded and took off at a trot. Rua and Jordan continued walking through the mess hall and Relayia perched herself on Rua's shoulder, and soon they entered another room. It was circular and had a large table. On the table were maps of the Barrier and the outlying regions.

"So now what, thief?" the dragonet asked.

"Now we wait for everyone to show up."

A gong sounded through out the Checkpoint. Minutes later, several of the older bandits began to enter the meeting room and took seats around the table. Jordan sat at the head of the table, and Rua settled to lean against the wall with his arms crossed, his head lowered slightly and his eyes closed. Relayia sat on his shoulder. Once it was clear all of the head bandits were present, Jordan spoke.

"Well boys, we all know that Ziatoch has a legion of monsters hiding up in our home, right?"

They all murmured in agreement.

"And we know that he's set them looking for something. Some sort of key. Well, its not just demons that are looking for them! When Rua and I came through the Rogue Pass, we encountered humans fighting alongside demons."

Shocked looks greeted them, and they exchanged heated whispers.

"If there's some sort of key out there, then it's for some powerful weapon. And if Ziatoch is looking for it, I doubt Heaven wants it in his hands. So… we're gonna find it first."

"What?" one of the bandits exclaimed, "Why, boss? He's gonna rip us to pieces when he finds out that we have it! And he will, mark my words!"

Rua grimaced and spoke, his eyes still closed.

"You're not to have the keeping of it. I'm taking it with me, and then I'll be taking it to Deckard Cain."

"Ain't he that Horadrim mage? The one who helped the Heroes?"

"He is," replied Rua, "Of anyone, he'd know what to do with it."

"I need men to head out and start searching for the key. Me and Rua have already figured out that has to be in some sort of tomb or something. And we all know the people's policies for tombs in these mountains, don't we?

Laughs greeted this, and one person spoke. "People who make tombs in these mountains probably get buried in them right after they're done…"

"Yeah. I want parties of five warriors each, one of them knowing the passes and one knowing how to use a bow. Look for a tomb, and be careful! They're demons and humans in there, and they'll kill anything that isn't one of theirs. Any questions?"

They shook their heads, and began to leave. Rua and Jordan looked at each other, and the green-eyed warrior spoke.

"How long will it take them to find it?"

"They're very efficient," Jordan answered, "So it should be found in about a day or so. They've lived here for years, and Ziatoch hasn't. They've got the highest chance of finding this key."

Rua nodded. "I hope you're right."

He pushed himself up from the wall and strode out of the room. After a moment, Jordan followed, hoping to find some food.

* * *

Jordan pulled himself out of a restless sleep and pushed himself up in his bed. He yawned and stretched, then looked around his quarters. His sword was under his bed, and his clothing was stacked on a dresser. Empty bottles of wine were on the floor, and his meal plates were on the nearby table. With a sigh, the bandit lord got out of bed and got dressed. He finally strapped his sword to his back and looked out into the darkened halls. A few guards patrolled the halls, but not many. He stepped out of the hall and made his way to one of the stairwells that led to the surface. 

A full moon illuminated the Checkpoint, giving everything a pale glow. Jordan took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air. The air was chilly, but Jordan had been living here for years, and it no longer bothered him. Suddenly, he heard soft music being played from a flute or an ocarina. Jordan smiled a little. _Couldn't sleep either, huh?_

Jordan entered another tower and climbed up the spiraling stairs, and then left and walked slowly across the battlements. Across the way, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed and playing soft music on his ocarina, was Rua. It was a sad melody, and it tugged at his heart.

As Jordan neared, the music dwindled and slowly stopped. Rua moved the ocarina away from his lips and was silent, his eyes still closed. Jordan stopped and watched him. Finally, the bandit lord spoke.

"How long has it been?"

"Tonight marks the fourth year since I made the promise. So much has happened since that night…"

Rua tucked away his instrument and got off the wall, turning towards the wilderness of the mountains. He placed his hands on the tops of the wall and gazed outward but seeing nothing.

"Ziatoch killed my sister and then left. He completely forgot about me. I decided I would make sure he regretted leaving me alive. I buried my sister at the ruins and left. I met Relayia shortly after, and for a year I trained. I even learned some magic…"

Jordan took Rua's place on the wall and listened carefully as Rua continued.

"Then I heard he was moving against Kurast. I guess he wanted to destroy the Zakarum, now that they've been freed of Mephisto's control. I left for the city that same day, and in three days I arrived at the Bazaars. It was two days later that Ziatoch attacked. He led the assault personally. He was certainly surprised when I ambushed him at Travincal. But he had gotten stronger, and I didn't beat him. He spared the city… I guess he underestimated the rebuilt strength of the Hand of Zakarum. For the next three years I hunted him. I attacked him during several of his key assaults, including his attack on Kingsport and the Amazon Isles. While searching for him there, I found this…"

Rua slipped a ring off his finger and held it up to Jordan to see. It was band of golden metal, and it had a design of four angel wings made of white metal surrounding a small ruby. The bandit lord almost thought he saw the jewel glow.

"I haven't had it appraised, but it has a lot of magical power in it. Something tells me it belongs in an equipment set, but I've yet to find anything that could be linked to it. It's given me an amount of protection, and it's deflected some of Ziatoch's spells."

Jordan looked surprised as Rua slipped the strange ring back on his finger.

"That piece of jewelry has saved your _life?_" he exclaimed. "What kind of magic is in that thing?"

"I don't know. Probably holy magic… after all, it negated Ziatoch's power, which is obviously demonic. So, perhaps… if I can find other pieces of equipment linked to my ring, I might be able to beat him. All I really know is that it has saved my life a couple of times. But that's not all… I've fought him so many times. After each of his attacks, he seemed to grow only stronger. And yet… here I am. Still alive. I helped break many of his assaults, and I've cornered him in countless battles. Although he was always the greater, he never managed to kill me… why, though? What is it that's kept me alive to this point?"

"Who knows, Rua? It could be your sister looking out for you. Look, if they find the vault we're looking for, we're going to need some rest. Get to bed, Rua."

"I will, my friend. In a moment. I want some time to myself."

"Okay."

Jordan took one last look at Rua before he left to go back to his own sleeping quarters.

Rua's mind was still restless. _So many times. And I've yet to be killed. How is it that I've survived?_

Could it be that it had something to do with that dream? He had begun having those dreams shortly after his stint in the Amazon Isles. Rua looked at the ring on his right hand. It held strange power, but it was incomplete. He didn't know how he knew this, but he felt it. Was the ring linked to the sword from his dream? The sword imbedded in the glowing blue crystal?

_That sword might be the key to defeating him once and for all. But where is it? Where in this world is that sword?_

He felt that someday, he'd know.

* * *

News came with dawn. One of the search parties had found a tomb with a strange symbol carved on the door. Rua, Relayia, and Jordan ate a quick breakfast before gathering some supplies and leaving with three other bandits to check out the tomb. 

They proceeded quickly through the passes to the tomb, and they encountered no demons. Eventually, the heroes arrived at the tomb. It looked to have been carved into the side of the mountain, not built. It had a large circular door, and on its surface was the image of a demon and two dragons. It took both Rua and Jordan to shift the door to the side. Relayia peeked into the dark opening from Rua's shoulder.

"What we're looking for is in there?" she asked.

"Supposedly," replied the bandit lord.

"Wonderful. Just bloody wonderful."

Rua told the bandits to keep guard at the entrance, drew his sword, and then strode into the mountain tomb. Jordan quickly followed and drew his own massive blade. Rats scurried out of the way of the newcomers. Relayia flew above them, a lantern hanging from her mouth to illumine the way of the warriors.

They didn't know that they were being watched.

The two warriors continued through the gloom, and soon they heard chittering sounds. Rua paused, and three Gloom Bats dropped from the ceiling. They looked like oversized bats, with huge talons and glowing red eyes. Without hesitation Rua cast a fireball spell at the center one, killing it instantly. The other two shrieked and flew at their foes. Jordan's sword easily caught both of them before they could strike with their lightning attacks. Both fighters left the corpses of the demons behind and continued down the dark halls.

They turned a few corners and halted as a pack of zombies turned their dead gazes towards them. Slowly they shuffled towards the warriors, hoping for an easy meal. Rua and Jordan readied their blades and charged. Rua's enchanted blade easily dispatched several of the undead, and the size of Jordan's sword easily prevented the rest of them from reviving and attacking them. Rua turned around, and a small, shrieking monster leaped at them. Rua stepped back and slashed upward, easily tearing out the demon's throat, and the corpse fell to the ground. Jordan kicked it over. It had a small, lizard-like body, with too many eyes in its long head.

"What are Leapers doing this far from the desert?" Relayia asked as the two warriors contemplated the demon. Her squeaky voice was muffled from the lantern in her mouth.

"Who knows?" replied Jordan.

The three companions continued through the many twists and turns of the tomb, killing any undead or demon that got in their way. But soon, they came to one last room. It was circular, and strange glyphs covered the walls. Lit braziers illumined the room in a soft glow. However, at the far end of the room, was a skeleton warrior, standing upright and adorned in plate and chain armor. In its bony hands was a nasty-looking warhammer. It slowly raised its skull and gazed at the two warriors, and then charged at them with surprising speed.

Rua and Jordan immediately dove out of the way of its downward swing, and the hammer crashed into the ground. Rua turned and flung a fireball at the skeleton, but the explosion did little to it. It turned and charged Rua, and Rua brought up his blade to parry the incoming attack. It swung again, and Rua stumbled back under the force of the blow. _It has to be a member of the Reanimated Horde! But weren't they killed off in the Heretic War? _He wondered.

Jordan made a powerful horizontal cut at the monster, and his blade bit through the armor but didn't really damage the skeleton. It turned its eyeless gaze toward him, and then swung its hammer at the bandit lord. Jordan quickly grabbed it by the haft and stopped the blow. He forced it away from him and used the same hand to punch the undead being in the face, knocking it backward. Rua kicked it away to the side and threw himself at the monster as it stumbled away. He swung with a vertical chop, and his sword cleaved through the monster's free arm. He jumped back and raised his hand, and chanted for his Lightning spell. The bolt lanced out and struck the monster in the chest as it turned, forcing it back a few feet. It tripped over a rock and fell backwards. Rua cast another fireball spell, and the being shattered into pieces. The warhammer flew away to the side.

After the battle, the two of them looked around the room. "So, what do we do now, Rua?" Jordan asked.

"Hmm… these glyphs…"

The green-eyed warrior walked over the left side of the entrance to the room, looking at one of the glyphs. He thought a while, and then he smiled.

"These aren't pictures… it's more like a map!"

He placed a finger on the glyph and began to run around the room, tracing the glyphs with his finger, leaving a strange green glow where his finger was. A circle on the other side of the room pulsed with a green light when Rua finished. They soon heard a soft grinding sound, and a stone drawer emerged from under the glowing circle. Jordan walked up to it and pulled out its contents.

He turned over and gave it to Rua. It was a strange stone tablet, made of black stone, with white words carved onto it. It looked like stone, but felt of like metal. Rua looked at it briefly, and his eyes widened as he reread it. Jordan saw this and asked a question.

"What does it say, Rua?"

Rua looked at it for a moment, and then recited what was written on the tablet.

" '_Woe to those who seek the Stones of Resurrection. Created by Heaven _

_To trap the Chaos, they are the seals that must never be broken. _

_Six stones for the colors of the rainbow, one the color of Light,_

_And one the color of Darkness. Eight in all unlock the power of Karognis. _

_By order of King Tyrael du Ivanos Novahan, if the Resurrection Stones are ever found again,_

_They are to be destroyed at once, so that the power of the Karognis may never be released._' "

Rua stopped for a moment and stared at the tablet.

"That last part was added on, and there seems to be some parts missing. It's almost like they were erased from the tablet."

"Probably said where to find some of these Stones," replied Jordan.

"I think you're right, Jordan," answered Rua, "We'd better keep this thing with us until we find Cain."

Rua handed the tablet to Jordan, who placed it inside the remains of the pack on his back. As they filed out of the room, Rua kicked the stone drawer shut with this left foot. The drawer slid back into the wall with a loud crash. Suddenly, the glowing green circle above the drawer burst into light. All three of them suddenly turned and looked at the circle. Suddenly, a green, fist-sized orb slid out and dropped to the ground. Rua hesitantly walked up to it and picked it up the Green Resurrection Stone.

"Ah crap," Jordan muttered.

"Now what do we do, Rua?"

"We destroy it, like that tablet said. Jordan, take the warhammer and break it."

Jordan walked over and brought that weapon back. The green-eyed warrior laid the Stone the ground and Jordan hefted the hammer above his head, then swung down as hard as he could. There was a cracking sound… and the head of the warhammer split in two. The Stone was unharmed. Jordan exchanged a dark look with Rua.

The green-eyed warrior picked up the Stone and gazed at it. "This isn't good. If it's as strong as I think it is, friends, we're going to have to take this down to the Hellforge and break it there."

"The Hellforge?" squeaked Relayia.

Rua nodded. "The Hellforge was were the Heroes broke the three Soulstones that were used to imprison the Prime Evils."

"I hope you're right, Rua," Jordan said quietly.

They left the room, and when they were gone, an angry female voice spoke aloud.

"There are eight Stones, not three!"

* * *

The warriors returned to the Checkpoint. Warriv was waiting for their return, so he could finish the journey through the mountains and enter the Western Kingdoms. After a quick lunch, the two heroes gathered their belongings and made their way back to their horses, and soon, they left, hoping to make it through the Rogue Pass and into the Rogues' Monastery before nightfall. Rua took one last look at the Checkpoint as they rode out and prayed that they would be spared Ziatoch's wrath. 

The heroes continued their trek in relative silence. Rua and Jordan had both drawn their swords again, and Relayia flew in wide circles, on the lookout for potential threats to the caravan. It seemed to be peaceful, but for some reason, Rua thought things were wrong. He wasn't sure why, but he felt it in the air. The peace couldn't last.

The attack came without warning. The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up, and his hold on his gemmed longsword tightened, but there was nothing he could do. A bolt of lighting struck down in front of Rua and Jordan's mounts, causing them to rear back in fear, throwing off their riders. They both struck the ground hard as Relayia gasped.

A cruel female laugh cut through the air as the dust cleared. The two warriors picked themselves up and stared warily at their new enemy. The smoked cleared, and they gaped in surprise. She was a tall, fair-skinned woman, with very long blonde hair, with some of it tied back into a large ponytail. She wore a white silk slip that was tightened around her impressive bosom, and there was a strange black robe draped around her, with the sleeves hanging from her wrists, and baring her stomach and legs. Her bared skin was covered in strange markings and tattoos. A white choker bearing the insignia of a Zann Esu sorceress was around her neck. Her laughed slowed and stopped, and she gazed at the warriors with cold, dark brown eyes. A smirk slowly formed on her face.

"Well, well, well!" she chuckled in a sultry, melodious voice, "I finally get to meet the great Rua Dragonheart and the infamous Jordan Brewer! What a wonderful surprise this is!"

Rua growled as he readied his blade, the words for several spells fresh in his mind.

"Who are you?" the green-eyed warrior demanded.

"Call me Kara, boys. Kara Llewelyn. Now, I believe you boys have something that I want."

Jordan's eyes narrowed, but his carefree grin spread across his face.

"Now what would that be, honeypie?"

The woman's eyes also narrowed. "I know your tricks, Brewer, and they won't work on me! You know perfectly well what I want! Give me the Resurrection Stone, or I'll make you both suffer!"

Rua felt cold. _How does she know about the Stone?_

"Well. A shame, really," Kara said, "Lord Ziatoch wants that Stone, Dragonheart, but it looks like you won't give it up, and now I'll have to kill you slowly."

She raised her right hand up and snapped her fingers, and a strange, wicked-looking staff appeared in her hand. It had a long black haft, topped with a strange cone covered in intricate designs. The cone held up a blue sphere, which was topped with four angular blades of bronze shaped like hooks. This was Kara's preferred weapon, and she lovingly called it the Tormentor. She instantly felt dark power flow into the staff and back into her. Warriv directed the wagons to retreat back and let the two warriors deal with the threat.

She quickly raised one hand and fired a short volley of multiple fire bolts. Rua and Jordan dashed out of the way of lethal projectiles. Rua ran a tight circle and cast his own fireball spell at the dark sorceress. It exploded harmlessly against a magical shield she erected, but was just what they were hoping for. Rua and Jordan both charged their opponent as she was occupied with the fireball. However, Kara deflected Rua's attack with her staff and raised a hand to Jordan. There was a sound like a whip crack, and Jordan was sent back flying. She turned her head and smiled at Rua. Her Lightning spell struck him in the chest and propelled him into the nearby wall.

Rua pushed himself from the wall and charged his opponent again. This time the expanding electric ring of her Nova spell shot out of her body, but Rua used his Driver attack to propel himself over the spell and attack Kara head-on. She nimbly leapt backwards, out of the way of the attack, and she quickly struck out with her staff. Rua rolled over to the side to dodge the blades on the end of the staff and then struck again with his sword. This time his blade scored a hit across her arm. She shrieked in pain and anger, and she lashed out with another Nova spell. It struck him in the chest and pushed him back.

Jordan had ducked under the second Nova, and then he quickly rose up and encircled the dark sorceress with his arms. He pinned her against his strength and attempted to crush her. Before he could do anything, a lightning aura zipped up her body and suddenly he staggered backwards, releasing her as she forced his arms from around her body. Kara's Static Field spell had numbed his arms, and he was helpless for a moment. She smiled cruelly as she readied her Inferno spell to incinerate the bandit lord.

A psychic force struck her in the side suddenly, and she stumbled away. She twisted her head around and glared at the interloper. A young woman wearing dark leather armor stood on a nearby bluff. She had shoulder-length blonde hair, and she stared at the dark sorceress with determined faded blue eyes. Under her right eye was a tattoo in the shape of a green horizontal stripe. The new woman was in a low battle stance, and in her hands were a pair of katars; special hand-blades used for fist-to-fist combat. Kara's eyes widened at those blades. The girl was a Viz-Jaq'taar mage slayer, more commonly known as an assassin. _She might pose a little of a problem! _She thought coldly, _but it doesn't matter! I'll kill them all and take the damned Stone to Lord Ziatoch!_

Kara raised her hand and fired a Glacial Spike spell. It shrieked towards the assassin, but the girl easily launched herself upward and over the spell, and it shattered harmlessly against the bluff. As the assassin jumped, she struck out with a Psychic Hammer attack, forcing the sorceress back several more feet and delivering a sharp blow to her chest. The girl then dashed forward, her claws held low at her sides. Kara cursed and jumped backward, and then grounded the end of her staff into the rocky soil. The ground beneath the assassin's feet exploded, and the girl had a surprised look on her face as she was thrown into the air.

Rua pulled himself up and charged at his distracted foe. As he came closer, he Phase Shifted past, leaving another gash in the dark sorceress's arm. She shrieked in pain, and he reappeared twenty paces behind her, and he whipped around and threw another fireball spell at Kara. It fizzled away into nothing before it touched her, and she smiled as her lightning bolt struck him in the chest and sent him flying away.

Meanwhile, the assassin had recovered, and she had snuck around Kara. She laid out a large shock web: special devices that threw out an electric field for enemies. She was in the middle of this when she felt the hairs stand up on the back of her head. She whipped around and dove out of the way as another lightning bolt lanced out at her. She readied herself for another attack, but the dark sorceress never got the chance.

Jordan had picked himself up and charged towards Kara with a mad yell, his sword forgotten. The sorceress whipped around when she heard his shout, and she launched several firebolt spells at him. The bandit lord hunkered down as he charged, putting his shoulder out first. He snarled in pain and anger as the firebolts scored his arm and back, leaving a number of burns, but he kept up his mad dash. His shoulder caught the dark sorceress under the chest, causing her to drop her staff and fly backwards, right into the assassin's shock web. Instantly the devices activated and emitted bolts of lighting back and forth to each other, zapping Kara in the process. She screamed as they did so, and soon she cast a Static Field into the web, destroying them.

The enraged woman pulled herself up and summoned the Tormentor. It reappeared in her hands, and she raised it over her head and began to chant. As she did, a ball of black energy formed over her head, emitting a strange purple light. Particles of energy were drawn in, and the ball grew in size. The three fighters stared at it, transfixed. Kara opened her eyes and screamed.

"Now it's time for you to _die!_"

She flung the orb straight at Rua. The green-eyed warrior braced himself as it came screaming through the air towards him at unbelievable speed. But quite suddenly, the angel-winged ring on his finger began to glow, and a barrier of magic formed around his body. The dark ball plowed into him, but the shield absorbed most of the impact. He was thrown back into the rock wall, and he collapsed to the ground, still alive. In the meantime, Kara turned her attention to the other two fighters.

Jordan had picked up his sword and put himself into a ready stance, and the assassin did the same. The circled the sorceress warily, waiting for the next round of magical assaults. Kara raised her free hand and cast her Chain Lightning spell. The silvery bolt of energy lanced out and struck Jordan in the chest, and in doing so, electrocuted him for a moment and then _bounced off_ and shot out at the girl. It struck her in the side and flung her away. They quickly picked themselves and began dodging the powerful spells Kara threw at them. Soon, Jordan lunged at the dark sorceress as she cast another spell, his sword raised over his head. However, her Meteor spell slammed down in front of him, causing the ground to explode before him. Jordan was sent sailing through the air, where he slammed against another rock wall and bounced off. He tried to push himself up and continue the fight, but darkness overtook him and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Rua pulled himself up and grimaced in pain. _It has to end,_ his mind cried, _and I will make it end!_

He drew into the very essence of his being and crafted a new spell. He didn't realize it, but the ring was glowing a fierce blue. Unknowing the chant rolled off his tongue, and four points of light winked into existence around him. The points each fired a beam of light to one spot, and when they collided, a much larger beam of energy shot out, straight at Kara's unsuspecting backside. The sorceress felt the surge of magic and looked over her shoulder in shock. Rua's Pulse Laser spell struck her in the back, sending her flying forward. Pain wracked her body as she wearily pulled herself up.

"You may have won this battle, brats, but I will be back! I will make you pay!" she screamed at them. A red portal suddenly sprang up behind her, and she backed off into it. She disappeared, and the portal vanished.

* * *

"So who are you?" Rua asked their new friend. They were back at the caravans, and they had already treated their wounds from the previous fight. The assassin walked beside Rua's mount. Jordan was resting in one of the wagons, still unconscious, and his horse was tied down to wagon. The green-eyed warrior had introduced himself and his two companions. 

"I'm Rayne Tamriel," she replied with a grin, and then added, "You seem to have made powerful enemies, Rua. That was Kara Llewelyn. Do you know her?"

"No. I'm guessing she's one of Ziatoch's minions, since she mentioned his name."

"More than that! Kara is one of the Master of Darkness's most powerful generals. I have been hunting her for some time now. I heard that Ziatoch would be striking at the Western Kingdoms soon, so I deduced that she'd be with him when he did."

"He will strike, once she informs him that I have what he seeks. He'll stop at nothing to get it from me, and he'd love nothing more than to destroy me."

Rayne looked at her new friend in surprise. Ziatoch wanted him dead? That was really intriguing. What's so special about this young man? _I'll find out soon enough, won't I?_

"Rua, I would like to join you in your battle against Ziatoch. As you have seen, I am a mage slayer, and you will need my help in fighting against his sorcerers. Will you and your friend have me?"

Relayia fluttered down and landed on Rua's shoulder, then whispered into his ears. "Something tells me you'll need her help! Accept her offer!"

Rua looked thoughtfully at the assassin, then nodded and held out his hand. Rayne eagerly shook it.

"Welcome aboard, Rayne."

* * *

The ensuing trek through the mountains was uneventful. Rua and Jordan showed their new comrade the Resurrection Stone and the tablet that discussed them and the Karognis. She told them that her order might be able to assist them in searching for the Stones, but she didn't say how. Or she wasn't allowed to. After a while, signs of life began to show, as grass started to appear in small bunches, and plants grew through the cracks in the walls. 

Sunset soon came, and Rua topped the next rise and heeled his mount. He looked down the hill, and at the sprawling grounds of the Monastery of the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. The huge building was over a mile long, designed like a fortress. At its center were the barracks housing the female archers, with Inner Cloister leading to the central Cathedral. The wagons soon caught up with him, and Warriv ordered the caravan down to Rogue Monastery, their dangerous trek complete. Rua gazed down for a few more moments, and then started moving down to the Monastery.

_Soon I'll know what you're looking for, Ziatoch. Soon, I'll know what to do to stop you cold!_

* * *

I apologize for the delay! School was difficult, and I didn't have internet access for a long time! I've got these two chapters done in the meantime, and the fourth chapter, Rogues' War, will be up soon. I hope you like the story so far.

Rising Dragon


	6. 04: Rogues' War

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Chapter Four

Rogues' War

A baleful moon cast a cold light on the harsh landscape of the Northern Steppes. The highlands had been relatively unmolested since the Heretic War, during the time Baal's minions had laid siege to the city of Harrogoth and ravaged their way to Mount Arreat.

Now, demons had once again returned to the homeland of the barbarians, the majestic warriors of the land. They patrolled the mountains far beyond Arreat. Because here, far from the light of life, existed a strange group of buildings molded into the mountainside. Built like a fortress, no army could ever hope to penetrate the black walls. It was crafted of stone and metal, with the turrets and ramparts crafted of a twisted design. A huge black dome centered this dark place, with four tall obelisks pointing outward from the corners of its base. Undead Oblivion Knights, their gold and purple armor covering their rotting flesh and bones, patrolled the ramparts. Overhead, Succubi swooped and dove, searching for prey. Along the ground outside were Megademons, with their massive muscular frames, horned heads, barbaric features, bat-like wings, and jagged blades, hoping to find unwary visitors, craving fresh blood to feed upon.

Moonlight streamed down on the twisted black fortress, a place where any being of the Light would find their doom. Many, such as the Heroes, already had met their end within these forbidding walls.

This was the Temple of Sorrow. This was the lair of Ziatoch, the Master of Darkness.

* * *

Ziatoch strode down through one of the many dark passageways of his lair. Strange tapestries of wars long past lined the black walls. Eventually the hallway began to turn into caverns, somehow melding to the twisted stone of the Temple to the craggy walls of the mountain cavern. Eventually, the cavern began to widen. Stalactites formed in the ceiling, seeming to become the teeth of some monster. Quite suddenly, it widened substantially, becoming a huge room. Shadows blanketed the cavern, but the room was not dark at all. In the very center, a gothic altar had been erected. The Master of Darkness walked up to this altar and gazed at it. A black orb floated in the air, giving off a cold power. This was the only form his master could assume. But his powers were growing. A deep, cold voice that awakened terror in the bravest of men spoke up, emanating from the orb.

_"Ziatoch…"_

Ziatoch kneeled before it, his head bowed. Instantly the Armor of Hell's Darkness appeared in a flash of dark light. Dark power flooded into him, but Ziatoch kept it restrained. He couldn't use this power against _him_. He wouldn't dare.

"My lord."

_"My minion Ziatoch… how fares the world?"_

"It is in chaos, as per your order. The hunt is underway."

_"I already know. That boy Dragonheart has already acquired one of the Stones, Ziatoch. I am displeased."_

"He is but a boy. He is no real threat. Soon, I will have him right where I want him."

_"FOOL!" _The blast of anger shot out everywhere, ripping away the tapestries in the hall and shattering the rocks around the altar. Ziatoch's cape billowed back. The dark orb continued in its furious roar.

"He may very well be your counterpart! And if he is, he cannot be allowed to live, him OR his friends! I want them all destroyed, and the Resurrection Stones brought before me! You have my commands, Master of Darkness! Heed them or suffer my wrath!"

Ziatoch's head bowed even lower, a grimace of anger sketched onto his face.

"As you command… master Diablo."

* * *

"Please, be seated, young Dragonheart," Akara said, "It is an honor to help the family of Kalia Dragonheart."

Rua sat down into a chair as Relayia perched on his shoulder in the private quarters of Akara, the High Priestess of the Sisters of the Sightless Eye. It was a grand room, and it showed all the signs of a magic-user. Books lined shelves, and potions of various types were all over. Special wards were erected in the corners of the room. Also with her was Kashya, the general of the Rogues. Although they were both the leaders of their people, and followers of the Sightless Eye, they couldn't be more unalike.

Akara was a formal woman, who intones rather than speaks. She was calm and quiet, and a renowned woman. Her demeanor was reflected in her small stature, her long, flowing brown hair and deep blue eyes. She wore a black dress and a long, purple shawl that framed her smiling face. Kashya, on the other hand, was hard as rock. She's a firebrand, and a skilled warrior. Her attitude matched her long, flaming red hair and impetuous green eyes. She wore a chainmail dress over leather armor, with long leather boots and a red cape. A quiver was slung across her chest.

Akara sat down on a chair opposite to Rua as Kashya settled on leaning against one of the walls. The priestess made herself comfortable, then looked at Rua expectantly. The green-eyed warrior sighed.

"Akara, I must find Deckard Cain."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm afraid I must ask why. You must understand, he has be kept safe from the Master of Darkness."

"I know. But this relates to the Master of Darkness. It's urgent that my friends and I find him."

"Rua, I cannot. I am bound by honor."

Rua stood abruptly. Relayia gripped his cape tightly. "You don't understand! This is a matter of life and death!"

"Show some manners, Dragonheart!" snapped Kashya angrily.

Akara held up a hand and stilled Kashya before she could continue. "How is that? Are you saying that Cain is in danger?"

Rua stared coldly at the woman. "Not quite. If I don't find him, everyone will die."

"What?" Kashya exclaimed, "Explain yourself!"

Rua opened up his bag and took out the Stone Tablet and the Green Stone. He handed them both to Akara, and Kashya got up off the wall to read over her shoulder. Their eyes slowly began to widen as they read the inscription, and they both glanced at the Stone with disbelief.

"What… what does this mean, young man?" Akara asked in a shaky voice.

"Ever since Ziatoch surfaced, I think he's been searching for these things," the green-eyed warrior explained, "and he's attacked everywhere to cover his search parties. Travincal, Kingsport, Viz-jun, and yes, even your Monastery."

"So… he wasn't some mad campaigner," the Rogue general growled, "There was a method to his madness. Where did you find this Stone, Dragonheart?"

"Within the Barrier. Ziatoch's had an entire legion of demons in there, looking for them."

Akara and Kashya exchanged glances. Demons had been amassing behind them the entire time. They could've been—and may still be—massacred. The spiritual leader of the Rogues turned her gaze towards Rua again and handed him the tablet and Stone back, then asked a question.

"You wish to find Cain so he may figure out where the rest of the Stones are?"

"Yes. We tried to destroy the Stone using a warhammer, and we only succeeded in destroying the weapon. So until we can find a way to destroy the Stones, we need to find them."

The demure woman sighed. For a long while, she said nothing, contemplating. Kashya looked at her, knowing what she was thinking. Finally, Akara spoke.

"Rua… we do not know where Cain is at. It was for the best. Had Ziatoch come here in person looking for him, he may very well have learned of his location. However, your need is greater than ours. We will send out scouts to search for his whereabouts. You have our word, brother of Kalia."

"I'll have Flavie choose which women will search for him," Kashya said, "So we'll find him in short order. Count on it."

Rua smiled at both women. "Thank you. I'm in your debt."

* * *

Jordan opened his eyes. He blinked away his exhaustion, and looked around the room. He was lying in a bed covered with white linens, and there were several shelves housing medical potions and solutions. His clothes were folded up on the bedside cabinet. His sword was propped up at one of the walls. Two torches illuminated the room, and the only window showed that it was nighttime.

The bandit lord pushed himself up in bed and looked at himself. He touched his abdomen, marveling over how it didn't hurt at all. That blonde witch's spell had hurt badly. He also noticed that he was completely unclothed. He rolled out of bed and got dressed, then strapped his sword onto his back. He contemplated on "borrowing" some medical supplies from the Rogues, and thought better of it.

_Too many women, and I'm positive they all know how to use a longbow._

Jordan opened the door and stuck his head out. There were no people about in the dimly lit hall. The ladies must've gone to bed. He stepped out and made his way down the hall. He had been in the Monastery before, but he hadn't had any reason to be in the infirmary… well, until now, that is.

Jordan made his way through the halls, looking for an exit from the hallway. He passed a few Rogues, women in leather armor with their hair pulled back into ponytails and bowcases slung behind their backs. These women watched him go by with a subtle wariness. _They must know who I am, _the bandit lord thought with a little unease.

Gradually Jordan made his way out of the infirmary. Soon, he encountered even more Rogues, each looking at him as if he were a strange animal. It was time to leave, he decided. Find Rua, that strange girl, and the flying cat, and see if how long it would take to be gone from the Monastery. If only he could figure out where they all went!

For some reason, Jordan had an ill feeling about this place. Something was up… he just couldn't figure out what. He walked over to one of the many windows in the corridor he was in. As he gazed outside, the bad feeling grew. There were the usual groups of campfires dotting the temperate forestlands of Khanduras. Each one belonged to demon camps of Goatmen and Fallen. But that wasn't all. It almost seemed like the night had come alive. Was the Master of Darkness' hand working here as well?

After Jordan found his way from the barracks, he entered an unadorned room. At the back was a flight of stairs, and it was walled off with bars, surprisingly enough. There was a metal barred door that gave access to the stairs. The door was partially open, beckoning inquiring minds further in. Jordan glanced around. No Rogue guards. Interesting... He took a cautious step forward, sniffing the chill air coming from wherever those inviting stairs led. He looked around again, then inched the door open a little more. It creaked softly with displeasure.

_Ah, what the hell, _Jordan thought, and he slipped through the door and down the stairs.

* * *

Rayne sighed and stirred her soup as she sat in the mess hall of the Monastery. She had been waiting for her new companions to show up. Rua said he had to speak to Akara, and Rayne declined to go with him. She distrusted magic-users by principle. After all, she was a Mage Slayer. Trained to hunt down corrupted sorcerers, warlocks, witches, and the like. Magic-users tended to get nervous around assassins… especially her mentor, Natalya Demos.

She was bored, actually. Not much was happening, and she was ready for a battle. Natalya sent her to kill Kara Llewelyn, and now she found three others who were against her and her dark master, Ziatoch. But Jordan was recovering, Rua and Relayia were chatting with the leaders of this place, and she was eating soup.

Ho hum.

But… for some reason, something was bugging her. Like it was a bad vibe. She kept feeling that something was gonna happen this evening.

If it was, she hoped it came soon. She was bored out of her mind.

* * *

Jordan didn't like this at all. The stench of death was all over the jails. And he kept seeing blood on the floors as he walked through the passages. He distantly realized that this was exactly how the jails must've looked when the Heroes went through here to slay the Lesser Evil Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish.

There were none of the Rogue guards anywhere. He only hoped that they were okay, but things didn't look like they were. Something, or some_things_, were lurking the darkness. The bandit lord drew his sword and prepared himself.

Unbeknownst to him, the darkness gathered itself to spring.

* * *

Rayne was halfway through her soup when she looked up to the entrance to the Great Hall. The familiar, red-cloaked form of Rua Dragonheart was striding through the halls with a small smile on his face. Relayia was perched on his left shoulder as usual. She guessed he had succeeded and the Rogues would help. Still, his face looked troubled. Did he sense the same feeling she did?

Suddenly the green-eyed warrior sprang forward, drawing his sword. An expression of horror had spread across his face. Relayia took to the air. He shouted something, but it was lost as the first screams erupted all around the assassin. Instincts kicked in as she threw herself from the table as something fell atop it and crushed it. She dived and rolled, unsheathing her katars in the process. As she got up into a ready stance, her face quickly matched Rua's as she gazed upon the enemy.

* * *

Jordan flung himself out of the way as another Megademon, this one a Balrog, threw itself at the bandit lord. Jordan's next attack managed to cut off one of the monster's wings, but before he could finish off the beast, a small Leaper jumped up onto his back and sank its fangs into his flesh. He screamed and flung himself backwards, into a wall. The monster's back was broken, and it dropped off of him.

The bandit lord killed the one-winged demon when it lunged at him again, and two undead Oblivion Knights stepped out of the darkness. Their flesh was held together by arcane sorceries, and in their right hands were sturdy bastard swords, while their left hands were glowing with magic. They flung fireballs at the bandit lord. Jordan sidestepped and charged at the undead soldiers. They fought back viciously with their blades, but Jordan's strength soon overwhelmed them and his blade soon severed their spinal cords, along with the spiritual link that kept them alive.

The bandit lord turned around and jumped back in surprise as another Balrog made a downward chop with its sword. Jordan growled and launched his own attack at the demon, which it easily parried. However, before the monster could counter, Jordan followed up with a punch to the monster's face. It felt like punching a brick wall. His fist hurt like hell, but there wasn't any time to complain. The Balrog fell back, and Jordan took the opportunity to gut the foul beast. He whipped around with a slash, striking two Leapers out of the air and killing them both.

_Time to get out of here._ Jordan wiped his blade off on the cloth hanging from the vanquished Oblivion Knight's armor, and took off through the darkened halls towards the surface. And when he arrived at the surface, he looked around in horror. Dead Rogues were everywhere, as were arrowed demons. There were other demons around, battling the surviving Rogues and occasional mercenaries. Jordan ran in the direction of the Great Hall, killing anything inhuman in his way.

* * *

Rua leaped back out of the way of the Oblivion Knight's sword, and used his own blade to sweep its head off its shoulders. Immediately he turned and struck down another demon, and whipped around again and flung a Fire Blast spell directly at Kara.

The dark sorceress easily slapped the spell away with her staff. She laughed cruelly as she flung more spells at him and the other fighters there, raining havoc on them with Blizzard, Chain Lightning, and Chaos Spear spells.

"What do you want with us, Kara?" the green-eyed warrior shouted at his assailant.

"I told you, Dragonheart! Give me the Stone, or I'll destroy everything! I told you I would return, and so I have!"

Rayne charged forward towards Kara, using her katars to leave devastating wounds in the monsters she passed, cutting hamstrings and striking weak points. She fired off a Psychic Hammer at Kara, but the sorceress warded off the blast with a defensive spell of her own. The assassin growled and summoned up a cloak of shadows. The room darkened momentarily, and her speed increased. Kara began flinging more spells at the mage slayer. Finally, a bolt of lightning that lanced out of the sorceress's hand struck the ground before Rayne, causing her to halt her progress. Kara followed up with a telekinesis spell, and sent the assassin sprawling.

Rua fired another Fire Blast at Kara, and since her concentration was elsewhere, it landed a direct hit. However, Kara still had a shield erected, and the attack only caused her to stumble forward. She turned and glared at the warrior.

"You'll pay for that one, brat!" she screamed at him.

She quickly raised the Tormentor and fired a powerful magic bolt at him. Rua flung himself out of the way, and the bolt passed harmlessly by him, striking a small demon and causing it to be flung across the room, finally crashing into the wall and dying instantly. Rua had hardly gotten up before he flung himself away as a lightning bolt shot towards him. A third and fourth lightning bolt lanced out at him, and Rua launched himself into the air at the dark sorceress, using his Driver attack. Kara teleported behind him as he landed sword-first on the spot she had occupied. She swung her staff, crashing it into his back and knocking him down. Before she could stab him with the spiked end of her staff, Rua rolled out of the way.

Rayne picked herself up and looked around wildly for her target. A Blood Lord bowled into her as it went after a pair of Rogues that were rapidly feathering it with arrows. More demons were surrounding her. She lashed out with her katars, attacking any legs that weren't human. Many demons were crippled, leaving them open for the mercenaries and Rogues. A Goatman stopped at her feet, looking around for an opponent. It found one, and was about to plunge its spear into the Rogue's back. Rayne quickly sheathed her katars and reached into a pouch on her belt, and drew out a pair of throwing blades, as she'd only be able to reach the back of the monster's legs, and her katars wouldn't be able to bite through the demon's bones. She flung the razor-sharp blades at the Goatman. The blades sliced through the demon's back and exploded out its throat, nearly tearing its head from its shoulders.

A Blood Lord stepped over the Goatman's corpse as it fell to the ground. Its bovine-like face sniffed the air and then glared down at the fallen assassin, and raised one of its axes into the air. Rayne couldn't get to her katars out in time. The demon swung downward and Rayne screamed.

A large gauntleted hand grabbed the blonde woman by her leather shirt and easily dragged her out of the way, and the Blood Lord's axe imbedded itself in the stone floor.

* * *

Jordan yanked the woman up by her shirt and set her on her feet. There were numerous cuts on his arms and chest, and he had his giant sword resting on one shoulder. He grinned at Rayne and spoke.

"Man, can't you people ever stay out of trouble without me?"

Rayne looked at her new companion with wide eyes, still scared about the close call. She gasped.

"Th-thank you! I could kiss you for that!"

"Save it for later, babe, we've got shit to deal with first."

Jordan stepped forward and kicked the struggling demon under its chin. The demon snarled as it fell back, letting go of its weapon in the process. It glared at the bandit lord as he brought his sword up over his head. Jordan swung down and split the demon's head in two. Rayne spun in a deadly dance, her katars and legs flashing out over and over, killing any demon that got near her. Occasionally she'd strike at faraway opponents using her multiple blades.

Rua flung himself out of the way of another Balrog's attack, but the monster's sword managed to bite through the armor on his shoulder and into the flesh beneath. Rua growled and kicked the monster the stomach. It didn't hurt the monster—far from it—but it forced it off of him, long enough for him to slam a Lightning spell in the monster's face and kill it. Rua looked past the demon's corpse and then concentrated. Four points of light appeared around him, and he cast the Pulse Laser spell at Kara. The beam pierced through three other demons before slamming into her shield. The evil woman turned to him and raised the hand that wasn't holding her staff towards him. She muttered an incantation and the bronze-colored spears of energy of the Chaos Spear spell shot towards him.

Rua backed up sharply and tried to dive out of the way, but a demon slammed into him when he tried to move, and prevented him from getting out into the clear. The Spears sped towards him, and he threw up his right hand.

The ring began to glow a fierce red.

The Chaos Spears glanced harmlessly off of a shield that suddenly surrounded the green-eyed warrior. Several of the Spears flew off and struck the walls or other combatants. Rua pulled himself up and growled at Kara. The glow emanating from his ring began to evolve into an azure blue. An incantation for a spell was in his mind.

Kara immediately threw up her arms and began chanting for one of her most powerful spells. A black nimbus was forming above her, drawing in energy. Before she could complete it, Rayne attacked her with a Mind Blast. The psychic force canceled the spell and caused her to reel backwards. The sorceress screamed in rage and turned to attack, but Jordan then slammed into the sorceress, stunning her and sending her flying into an open area of space.

Rua threw his hands upwards, words rolling off of his lips as the sorceress attempted to rise. A blue ball of energy rose up into the air. The orb slammed down into the ground next to Kara, and a blue ring of energy spread out from the impact point. The sorceress looked around in panic, and Rua finished the incantation for the Thunder Blow spell. A wave of eldritch blue fire shot upward with a loud hum. Kara screamed in pain. As the spell dissipated, Kara painfully got to her feet, using her staff to help her stand. She glared darkly at Rua, but she knew she couldn't win, not now. It was all Rua could do to stay up with his sword ready. The strange spell had sapped him of his strength.

"This isn't finished, brat!" she shouted at him over the din of combat, "You can't beat Ziatoch! His power is supreme!"

And with that, Kara fled through a red portal. Quite suddenly, more red portals opened up in all parts of the Great Hall, and the demons began to flee into them to points unknown. It was over. The Rogues were left to tally their losses.

Rua immediately fainted, his energy spent, as his ring's glow faded.

* * *

Rua woke up abruptly from his usual nightmare and opened his eyes, blinking as the light struck them. He forced himself up and looked around. He was in a rather ornate guest bedroom in the Monastery. His clothes were sitting at the foot of the bed, and his sword was sheathed and propped up against the wall. He didn't see his armor at all. He pulled himself out of the bed and got dressed, then equipped his weapon and headed out. The green-eyed warrior expertly made his way through the halls. He soon found one Rogue named Flavie, and pulled her off to the side. He distantly remembered that this woman was the one who picked the Rogues who were searching for Cain's whereabouts.

"Do you know where my companions are?" he asked.

"The assassin and your flying cat are having Charsi repair your equipment, and I saw the bandit talking with a sorceress in the mess hall, Master Dragonheart."

"Thank you."

Rua walked off towards the mess hall. He grimaced. _Jordan, I thought you knew better than to hit on women who know magic._

As he entered the Hall, he looked around and spotted Jordan. He was indeed talking with a sorceress. The woman was little taller than Rayne, wearing green clothing. She was dressed more modestly than most Zann Esu. She had sun-darknened skin, with long black hair and hazel eyes. The woman seemed to be rather young, but held a stature of dignity and respect. She had laid a staff down next to the table they were sitting at.

Rua walked up and stopped as the two turned to greet him. Before they could say anything, Rua crossed his arms and spoke.

"If I remember correctly, Jordan, the last time you tried to hit on a sorceress, half of your clothes were burned off of you, all of your money was taken, and you had to replace your sword with the one you have right now. I'd have thought you'd learn from that incident."

The sorceress turned a cool eye towards the sandy-haired bandit and raised her eyebrows. The bandit lord glared at Rua for reminding him of that particular disaster.

"Ha-ha, Rua. This is Kaelynn Dai. She wants to join us on the hunt."

This time Rua raised an eyebrow at the thief. He turned to Kaelynn.

"And what are your motives?"

"Simple," she replied in a quiet voice, "It seems you've made enemies with an enemy of my own. I've been hunting the traitor Kara Llewelyn for what she's done."

"Traitor?"

"Yes, traitor. Kara is… _was _Zann Esu. She betrayed us to the Master of Darkness, and because of that, our order was nearly wiped out. I still remember. And I want to make her pay."

Rua considered. Another enemy of Kara. First Rayne and now Kaelynn Dai. She was a mage, and he could use one of those. He knew magic, but it was far from perfect. He turned to his friend and spoke.

"So now we have two women after the sorceress?"

Kaelynn looked at Rua sharply.

"Seems that way, boss," Jordan replied, "Look's like its going to be one hell of a catfight. Although I hate to think of what our other friend will think of her."

"Do you plan on letting me in on what you're talking about?" the sorceress demanded.

"Certainly," Rua said as he turned and gestured towards the door and the approaching Rayne and Relayia. The assassin had a bundle slung over her shoulder. She quickly walked over to the group.

"Got it all fixed, boys. Although for the price of it all, I was expecting to get a kiss and a cigarette to go with it."

"Welcome back, Rayne," Jordan greeted the girl, "Meet the newest member of the team. She's a sorceress after your quarry."

The assassin set the bundle down and slowly turned to the other woman. They regarded each other like two strange cats eyeing one another in an alley.

_This can't be good,_ Rua thought.

Before the women could go further than glances, Rua spoke up.

"I understand your distrust of each other, ladies, but you're just going to have to deal with it."

The sorceress and assassin turned their cool gazes on him instead. The green-eyed warrior shifted his stance a bit nervously but continued on.

"If you're going to join us, Kaelynn, you're going to need to know just what we're up against. You need to know exactly what you're getting yourself into. Jordan," he said with a grin as he turned towards the bandit lord, "why don't you fill her in on the details?"

Relayia fluttered over and landed on Rua's shoulder as he turned to go purchase horses for Kaelynn and Rayne. The sorceress turned her cool gaze back onto Jordan. He shifted in his seat in discomfort, than began to speak.

* * *

Rua had just finished purchasing two horses from Warriv for the women and was headed for the mess hall to acquire some food when a young Rogue apprentice rushed up to him.

"Master Dragonheart… the scouts have returned. Lady Akara requests your presence in her chambers."

Rua thanked the girl and dismissed her, than grimaced. Looked like he wasn't getting any breakfast this particular morning. He veered off and began his way back to Akara's personal chambers, and Relayia took off from his shoulder. He passed several Rogues that were helping the injured to the infirmary, as well as mercenaries and Rogues heading to get equipment repaired by Charsi. He eventually found the personal chambers, and he knocked on the door and waited.

"Enter," a female voice said.

Rua opened the door and entered. Akara was inside, along with Kashya and a couple of scouts. Akara motioned for him to take a seat, and he took one in front of the women. His dragonet friend landed on his shoulder. He folded his hands together in his lap and waited.

"First of all, Rua, I must thank you for your help last night," Akara began, "Your assistance was most helpful, and for that, we are in your debt."

"It was nothing," replied Rua, "Her fight was with me and my friends, not the Rogues."

"Indeed. Well, straight to the core of the matter, I suppose. Our scouts have located Deckard Cain… and we are a little surprised at his current location."

"Where is he at?" Relayia squeaked.

"In the last place anyone would look to find him," Kashya answered her, "New Tristram."

Rua looked up sharply. "I thought that after what happened in Tristram, he wouldn't want to be anywhere near where Diablo returned to power."

"That is what we thought as well. Perhaps the new King has granted him protection. Cain now owns an expansive library in the city."

"I see. Well then, I guess I better get going. Ziatoch apparently knows that I have one of the Stones. Thank you. Farewell, Akara."

"You are most welcome, Rua. Go in the Light, young hero."

* * *

Two hours later, the party exited the Monastery and entered the Tamoe Highlands, heading south. They hoped to reach New Tristram before night fell. The Western Kingdoms were dangerous by day… but they were fatal by night. New, never-before-seen monsters have arrived on the mortal plane since the destruction of the Worldstone. Rua had purchased a new kite shield, and Jordan had purchased some decent chainmail.

Along the way, Jordan entertained them by telling them some of the "adventures" he had while looting several cities, his exploits including New Tristram, Kingsport, Entsteig Capitol, Lut Gholien, and Kurast. While Kaelynn and Rayne didn't believe most of it, Rua knew it all to be true… he had witnessed some of it and partook in a few of the excursions. Kaelynn repeatedly asked Rua questions, many of which concerned Ziatoch and the Resurrection Stones.

Rua himself was concerned about his ring. He knew it had created barriers that have helped defend against some powerful spells before, but now it had twice taught him spells that, he was sure, not even the Vizjerei had seen before.

"… and you continually seek out to battle the Master of Darkness? Even when you know that he is unimaginably more powerful than you?" Kaelynn asked, continuing with her conversation with Rua.

"That's correct."

"I can't decide if that can be called bravery or stupidity."

"You're not the only one, Kaelynn. But, you joined us, so you'll be facing him too. Get used to it."

"I'm warning you, Rua Dragonheart, I do not tolerate rudeness from anyone, no matter what kind of enemies they've faced."

"Is that why you're so arrogant?" Rayne butted in.

"At least I don't sneak around in the shadows, assassin!"

Rua sighed as the two women's bickering escalated. Why can't these people just grow up? They had more important work to do. These were the Kingdoms, after all, and anything could happen.

That's when several arrows struck Rua's mount in the side. The beast cried out in pain and fell over, throwing Rua off. The green-eyed warrior swore and rolled to the side, drawing his blade in the process.

Corrupted Rogues, remnants from the beginning of the Heretic War, had ambushed and surrounded them. Their skin had turned an ashy gray, and they didn't just use bows anymore, arming themselves with jagged swords and long pikes. Many of them wore chain and plate over their leather armor, and they now had inhuman skill, granted from Andariel, the Maiden of Anguish.

Two of the spearwomen rushed Jordan's horse, causing the mare to rear back in fear, flinging Jordan off in short order. The bandit lord grunted and rolled away as another corrupt Rogue swung at his head with her sword. He sweep-kicked the woman and bashed her skull in with his fist before getting up and drawing his own huge blade.

Rayne nimbly leapt off her own horse and landed amidst several of the corrupt women, her katars drawn. She fended off the women's swords using her weaponry and martial arts. However, when they threatened to overwhelm the young woman, she blasted them all back using a Mind Blast. The confused women began attacking each other. The assassin quickly took off from the fray to help her friends, using her psychic abilities to deflect the various arrows that were launched at them.

Kaelynn rained death upon the ambushers. She spun in tight circles, chanting constantly and flinging fireballs, ice bolts, and lightning bolts at her opponents. She yelled in fury as she whipped around and cast an Inferno spell, and turned in a slow quarter-circle as a large stream of flame issued from her outstretched hands. She looked over and saw another Rogue leap at the assassin, and her Glacial Spike easily impaled the cursed woman.

Rua and Jordan expertly crossed blades with the women, landing cut after cut with their dangerous swords. Left and right, women died, their tortured souls issuing from their dying bodies, to be dragged back down into Hell. Rua's sword brought fear to the corrupt Rogues, as gouts of flame, fogs of cold, and sparks of lightning blasted out with each strike, and a lethal poison crept into the wounds it left.

Kaelynn brought her staff to the ground, and chanted. Enemies closed in on her, only to be frozen where they stood as she struck out with her Frost Nova spell. As she chanted for more powerful sorceries, another Rogue drew the length of her war bow and let fly with an arrow aimed at the heart. The arrow screamed through the air, only for a leather-clad soft boot to strike it out of the air. Rayne landed from her flying kick and threw a pair of throwing blades at the Rogue. The assassin turned again and started disarming more foes with spinning kicks, rendering them defenseless against her katars.

Kaelynn shouted out to the party, "Hold them off of me! I am preparing a spell that will end this battle!" The sorceress then closed her eyes and began to chant for one of her most powerful spells.

Rua Phase Shifted past another Rogue, easily beheading the woman as she was about to launch a flurry of arrows at the two women. When he exited the Shift, a few arrows pierced his armor and struck his arm and shoulder. The green-eyed warrior screamed and countered with his Pulse Laser spell, killing the Rogue that shot him. Jordan grabbed one corrupted Rogue by the head and flung her away, into another enemy, knocking them both down.

The final words for the spell rolled off of Kaelynn's tongue. Her clothing and hair were ruffled by an unseen wind as she lifted her staff into the air. The jewel in the head of the staff glowed fiercely. Above, a storm cloud formed over the battlefield, unseen by the enemies. Then, quite suddenly, the thunder rolled.

Jagged silver tines lanced out from the cloud, striking down the corrupt Rogues. One by one the women were slain. Some of the bodies simply fell to the ground, lifeless, while others blew apart in sprays of blood and gore. Rayne shrieked and covered her ears, while Jordan looked around, amazed at the display of power. The horses screamed in terror, but were too frightened to run away.

Rua looked over at the sorceress as she casually dusted herself. Jordan walked up over to him and removed the arrows in the green-eyed warrior's arm. Rua gave her an emotionless stare as he asked, "Thunderstorm?"

"Thunder Fury. More violent than Thunderstorm. We Zann Esu are always perfecting new spells to battle the new hordes of demons."

The four warriors quickly set off to gather their mounts and calm them. Rua mounted and drew his sword, and Jordan did the same. "Let's go!" Rua shouted, and his party followed as he galloped down the Highlands.

* * *

Deckard Cain laid the book he had been reading down on the table and rubbed his tired eyes. He pushed back his chair and stood up, feeling the stiffness in his joints. He took his walking stick from the table and started walking across the fireplace-lit room to the window, and as he did, he walked past a full-body mirror. He stopped and looked at himself in the mirror.

His thin body was covered in a dark gray robe. His black skin had faded over the long years, and his body had grown weak. There were deep lines in his weathered face, and what gray hair he had left was starting to go, as the top of his head was bald. But his bright gray eyes had yet to lose the light of life. He was old, but far from helplessness or senility. He was, after all, the last sage of the Horadrim, the fabled order that had hunted down the Prime Evils and imprisoned them in the Soulstones.

He sighed and continued on to the window and gazed out over the rooftops of the thriving city of New Tristram. Khanduras was gaining strength since it was rebuilt, and there was peace under the reign of King Meredith. Cain was living in the home that had been crafted above his library, and it was a grand building. Perhaps too grand. But, it was a gift from the king, and he was thankful for it.

Even still, it was a troubling time. News of battles all over the world. News of a great evil emerging. Just who was this Ziatoch, this Master of Darkness? Was he really the minion of the Lord of Terror, as he claimed? It seemed no one could stop him. He had single-handedly destroyed all seven Heroes. Also that young girl, Kalia Dragonheart. Cain smiled softly. _Brilliant and powerful, that girl. _She even found a piece of the Armor, and had given it to him. She'd said she knew who it would belong to, and that it wasn't her. That she wasn't destined to be the one. And then she had taken her brother with her to battle Ziatoch, and had been killed.

Cain suddenly squinted his eyes as he gazed out above the city, and focused on the forest. There were flashes of light in the trees. Spellcrafting? It must be more demons. Cain sighed. Demons… they seemed to be sprouting like weeds these days. Demons amassed underneath the Monastery of old Tristram as Diablo grew stronger, while inhabiting the body of Prince Albrecht, but they had been slaughtered by the nameless warrior who in turn became the host of the Lord of Terror. And afterwards, minor demons began to reach the mortal plane in droves to battle the Heroes and serve the unholy will of the Three Brothers as Diablo freed Mephisto and Baal. More than a decade ago, demons were considered nothing more than tall tales to frighten children into obeying their parents more readily. But now Ziatoch was here, declaring war on all of Sanctuary. No, in these days, disbelief was gone.

Now there were demons everywhere.

* * *

Well, there it is, I'm sorry I took so long in posting this. This story continually fights me to get chapters finished. I also had to wait on my proofreader, but without her you'd have a much more lousy chapter to read.


	7. 05: Ziatoch's Counterattack

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Chapter Five

Ziatoch's Counterattack

Rayne shot up in bed with a gasp. The sheets covering her slipped off of her, and she looked down and blushed furiously as she pulled them back up to cover her nudity. She looked around the room carefully. There were shelves containing medical supplies and potions. An open cabinet showed her clothing and leather armor were inside. Her armor looked ragged, and had several burn marks on it. On the bedside table were her katars. One of them was broken in half.

The blonde assassin concentrated on what had happened in the forest. There had been a battle… they'd been ambushed by demons and corrupted Rogues… the air had been thick with Rua and Kaelynn's spellwork…

Suddenly, the memories came rushing back.

_Rayne leaped off of her dying mount and rolled as she landed, drawing her katars and slashing the throat of the Goatman that had killed her horse. She pivoted and struck out with her other katar as another Goatman stepped up behind her, cutting its throat out as well._

_The young assassin shot forward at a corrupt Rogue and delivered a jumping kick to the woman's head. The Rogue fell backward onto the ground, and Rayne stomped the woman's throat and crushed her windpipe. Two more rushed at her with swords drawn, and the assassin flung a pair of throwing blades at one and dashed towards the second and attacked with her Dragon Talon kick. The blades ripped through the first Rogue's body and the kick struck the second with enough force to slam her into a tree and break her back._

_Rayne looked around at the battlefield. They were in the Dark Forest region, the most heavily forested area of the nation Khanduras. Enemies were attacking all around, using the forests to their advantage. It seemed only Rua knew the region well enough to use it to his own advantage. He was weaving in and out of the trees with his horse, striking down his foes with his gemmed longsword and his strange new spells. Kaelynn was near the corpse of her own horse, blasting any enemy near her with fireball and ice bolt spells, occasionally incinerating enemies with Inferno spells if anything got too close. Jordan had been dragged off of his horse and disarmed, but he was still fighting back with his fists, using his strength to knock out and kill his enemies, despite any injuries he suffered in the process. She also noticed that he was also taking things off of the enemies while they were still fighting. Relayia was flying rapid circles around the battle, occasionally darting in to scratch or breathe fire on an enemy._

_The assassin struck out at a group of Fallen with a Mind Blast. All were disoriented and some even began to fight other monsters. Two Goatmen ran forward at her, and she dashed forward to meet them. She harnessed her psychic power and made a flying Dragon Tail kick at the closest one. The kick struck the monster and was crushed in a large explosion that left the assassin unharmed. The fallen Goatman's axe flew off and tore out the throat of the second monster. As she did, she realized that the battle was becoming more and more frenzied._

_A Storm Lord jumped up behind her, its muscular blue body crackling with electrical energy. Still in the air, it prepared to unleash a lightning bolt on Rayne, but a beam of blue light struck through it. The Pulse Laser continued through and tore the head off of another Goatman. Rua charged past on his horse. "Watch yourself!" he shouted to her over the din of combat. She began to dash past enemies and wielding her katars to steal energy from her enemies and using them in special attacks after charging them from three enemies, sometimes causing an enemy to explode into flame or to cause dozens of ice bolts to lash out in a circle from the dying enemy's body._

_Jordan had finally regained his huge sword and was laying waste to any monster in his path. He had buried his sword in a Storm Lord's horned head when the weapon began to glow crimson and then burst into flame, causing the corpse to burn. He looked over at the sorceress, who had her hand raised towards him and was finishing her Enchant spell. He grinned and then started attacking more monsters in a wild frenzy. Soon, many of the smaller demons began to run in fear from his burning blade. But it seemed that no matter how many monsters they killed, more showed up._

_An area of the battlefield was suddenly blasted with a wave of eldritch blue flame from Rua's Thunder Blow spell. As he finished the spell, he heeled his horse forward, but two corrupt Rogue spearwomen thrust their lances at the green-eyed warrior, and the horse threw off its rider. Rua yelled out in surprise as he struck the ground, and his horse ran off out of the battlefield. One of the spearwomen ran up to him, but two strikes with his blazing sword severed the woman's leg and lacerated her chest. He rolled over on his sword and got up, firing another Pulse Laser spell at a distant Storm Lord before it could throw another lightning bolt at one of his comrades._

_Unbeknownst to him, an undead Vampire Lord had appeared several spans behind him and was preparing a powerful Meteor spell. The tattooed assassin concentrated her psychic powers for her most powerful finishing move—Dragon Flight. She used her mind to propel herself across the battlefield in the blink of an eye, right in front of the Vampire Lord, and delivered it a kick that shattered the undead creature from the force of the flight. However, it was too late, and the monster had completed the spell. Rayne shouted "Rua!" Unfortunately, he neither heard her over the din of combat, nor saw the orange circular aura beneath him. He was too busy concentrating on battling the green-skinned Venom Lord—the most elite of Megademons—that was in front of him. Rayne dashed forward and slammed him out of the way just as he killed the demon he was fighting._

_Rua's eyes widened in surprise as the small assassin hurtled into his side and knocked him away. The large fireball screamed as it shot down from the sky and struck the ground behind Rayne. The mage slayer was thrown several spans through the air, and when her body hit the ground, darkness enveloped her._

Rayne shook her head to dispel the memories. She let the sheet fall off of her and began to examine her body. _These westerner healers know how to do their work. _She was prejudiced against magic, but she couldn't help but feel grateful. There were no marks on her body, and she felt refreshed. She leapt out of bed and started doing stretches, and then she got dressed and equipped her damaged armor, taking both the whole and the broken katars, and left the building, wondering where her party's leader was. Quickly she began using her psychic powers to locate her friends.

* * *

Rua was currently leaning against the wall in a tavern somewhere in New Tristram, with Relayia sitting down on his shoulder laughing. The green-eyed warrior watched the scene unfolding before him with a look somewhere between amusement and annoyance. He had seen many bar fights. He'd even been in a few of them. Seeing Jordan participating in such activities wasn't that unusual. What surprised him was that a woman—the sorceress Kaelynn Dai, in fact—was fighting by his side. 

Rua looked off towards the entrance as Jordan picked up another contender and threw him over a table. Rayne had just stepped inside, but a flying chair sent through the air from Kaelynn's Telekinesis spell quickly sent her sprawling outside. The tattooed girl dashed back inside the tavern, ducking low and off to the side. She stopped a few feet in front of Rua, never seeing him. She started laughing as she took in the sight. The green-eyed warrior grinned and snuck up behind her, then laid a hand clothed in a leather gauntlet on her shoulder.

Rayne jumped about a foot into the air and spun around… and then started glaring at the laughing Rua Dragonheart. "Think you're funny, huh?" she growled. He soon calmed down, and Rayne leaned against the wall next to him. Soon she was interrogating him on what had happened between the battle in the forest and now.

"So, just how did this fiasco happen?" she asked.

"Not sure myself. I think Jordan was secretly stealing everything he thought was interesting. And I'm guessing that one of the bouncers saw him."

"Is that the sorceress I see helping him?"

"Yes, actually. Don't ask me how she got involved."

Using her staff and Telekinesis spell, Kaelynn was easily keeping the other occupants away from her. She'd use her weapon to deflect the blows of her opponents and tripping them up, while using her spell to fling chairs and such into fighters dumb enough to approach her from behind. Meanwhile, Jordan was wrestling with one of the two large bouncers. Some of the more drunk occupants were making bets on the match.

"Anyways…" Rayne continued, "What happened in the Dark Forest? I remember being hit by that Meteor spell and that's it."

"The fight turned to their favor shortly after that," Rua replied, speaking barely loud enough for her to hear, "Kaelynn was silenced so she couldn't use her spellwork and then was knocked out… I thought Jordan had been killed, he'd taken two spears to the stomach… and I was about to be killed when they arrived."

"Huh? When who arrived?"

"Khandurian soldiers. They were investigating the woods when someone reported they had seen spellwork in the forests. They were the ones who dispatched the demons and took us to the town. I passed out on the way." He hesitated, and then continued, "You've been out for nearly four days, Rayne. Jordan and Kaelynn for two. I've only been out overnight."

"Do you know how those monsters kept appearing whenever we thought we'd gotten the upper hand?"

"No… but I have an idea…"

"Oh? What idea's that, Rua?"

"I'm thinking that they've figured out how to use Waypoints."

Rayne was startled. "But I thought only humans could—"

"I did too," he said, cutting her off, "they could be corrupting them for all I know."

Rayne leaned back, taking in the fight and seeing none of it, even as Kaelynn's Telekinesis spell slammed chair into the wall beside her. So she was out for three days? That didn't sound good. And if Rua was here and not with Cain…

"Did you find Cain?" she asked.

"No. Half the people don't believe he's here, the other half refuse to talk about it. And the guards have been watching us pretty carefully ever since I started my inquiries. And I can't find her either… Come on," he said, changing the subject when Rayne looked at him curiously, "We better get these two out of here before the militia get here to break it up."

Rua picked up the kite shield he had leaning against the wall next to him and equipped it. The two separated and headed towards their comrades, Rayne going after Kaelynn while Rua went after Jordan. Twice the assassin was forced to duck under flying chairs before she finally was near enough to grab her attention. The sorceress had just swept two of the occupants off their feet when she felt a hand fall to her shoulder. She whipped around, only to have her hazel eyes meet faded blue ones. Kaelynn raised one eyebrow, but before she could say anything, the assassin simply jerked her head towards the door. Kaelynn looked at her a moment longer, and then nodded her consent. Just as she was about to move, she swept her staff up over her shoulder, feeling it connect with something solid. She didn't even bother to look while she and the assassin walked towards the door as the sneaking occupant collapsed with a large bruise spreading across his forehead.

In the meantime, Jordan had just knocked out the person he was fighting, and stood up. He looked around, and a larger bloke stepped into the imaginary ring. But as he did, a man with a shield, a red cape, and a familiar pink cat on his shoulder stepped up behind him. In one fluid motion, Rua drew his sword and slapped the man upside the head with the flat of his blade. The man staggered sideways, and Rua stepped past him. Just as the would-be contender was about to regain his footing, Rua swung his shield out and caught him full in the face. The man fell over unconscious, the drink and disorientation from Rua's blade finally taking their toll on him. Jordan burst out laughing, but quickly shut up as Rua glared at him. He knew from experience that the Dragonheart family glare was not something most men liked to be on the receiving end of. He walked out in silence, and after a moment, Rua did the same, with one thought echoing in his mind.

_Why in the world did I mention _her

_

* * *

_  
"What the hell is wrong with you two?"

Jordan recoiled slightly, grinning with shame, as Rua shouted at them. They were out into the night of the city, well away from the tavern they had been occupying. Kaelynn took it stoically, saying nothing. Rayne walked beside them, not worrying about it in the least… after all, she hadn't been involved.

"We're here to try and find Cain! Trying to find the one person who might be able to help us defeat Ziatoch! _We are not here to tear apart local taverns!" _Rua stopped, and took a calming breath before continuing. "Now, _ladies_," he said, scowling at Jordan, "I want you to split up and start searching for Cain. Jordan, stay out of the damn taverns tonight. If you get arrested, I'm going to write a letter to a certain white-clothed someone and have Relayia deliver it. Let her bail you out."

Jordan glared at Rua. The green-eyed warrior looked at all of them and nodded once. The three warriors turned and walked off in different directions. Rua watched them go for a while, and felt Relayia land on his shoulder.

"Follow Jordan and make sure he stays out of trouble, Re," he told her.

"Would you really write a letter to her, Rua?" she squeaked.

"Probably not. I have no intention on handing that woman my hide as well as his."

"Okay. I'll get going now," the dragonet took off from his shoulder.

Rua turned and walked down the street, wondering whom he'd find first. Several times he stopped a passerby, inquiring of the location of Deckard Cain. Two people told him to leave, one person openly glared at him, and several others glanced at him with fearful eyes and said that they didn't know he was in the city. Finally, after asking a family if they had seen Cain, he turned to go, finally getting irritated, when something tugged at his tattered red cape. The green-eyed warrior turned and looked down, and his eyes met a green pair remarkably like his own.

It was the little girl that was in the family. He looked over at the rest of the family, and saw that while her parents were continuing on, a slightly older boy had stopped and was watching the two of them with apprehension. He looked back down at the girl. She looked to be no more than nine years of age, and she had blonde hair that went down to her waist. She was wearing a white dress with red scrollwork on the hem and sleeves. The little girl's eyes were surprisingly defiant… much like his own. She was attempting to look fearless, but Rua decided that she was terrified. With the scars on his face, he wasn't surprised.

"Can I help you with something, miss?" he asked kindly, favoring her with his rare smile. He kneeled down before her, waiting for the girl's answer.

"Um, I don't know about anyone named Cain, sir," she replied sheepishly, still trying to look tough, "but there's this old storyteller at the library in the center of the city."

Rua's eyes brightened. _Finally! _He reached into his pocket, and then placed a few gold coins into the little girl's hands. "Thank you for your time, child."

The girl's gave him a smile of relief and gratitude. "Thank you, sir!" she said before turning and dashing back over to her brother.

Rua stood up and took out a map of the city he had purchased the other day. He was near one of the city squares, and not that far off from the heart of the city, where the great tower of Monastery Castle stood. He looked up and down the street he was on, looked back at the map once before folding and putting it away, and then started forward towards the town square. As he did, he noticed that there were several ornate-looking wagons in and around it, and a stage had been erected in the center. Several groups of people were surrounding it, one of which containing the family of the little girl who had helped him earlier. He sighed, seeing that it'd be hard to get through the crowds at the other end of the city, and decided to lean against a wagon close to the stage. He noted that there was a troupe of musicians at the other side of the stage.

And then, she appeared. Rua's eyes widened in recognition.

A young woman was walking up to the stage. She was a head shorter than himself, with long reddish-brown hair that fell to her shoulder blades. She looked around with a bright smile and brighter cerulean blue eyes. She was wearing a dancer's two-piece outfit of a deep-sea blue, with rose red trim. The top went over her chest, with sleeves that billowed loosely, and was held together in the front with a gold slip shaped like a flower. The bottom was a long skirt, opened in a long V in the front. In her hands were what looked to be folded ornamental fans. She looked beautiful.

* * *

The woman, whose name was Alasea Dagenais, stepped up onto the stage. She looked around at the cheering people and smiled. Then she readied herself to dance. 

The music began with a tambourine shaking in the background. Then, the guitar moved in and began its own song, beginning slowly with a smooth gypsy melody. The speed of the song began to increase in intervals. Alasea began to sway her hips in time with the music. The guitar broke into a furious solo with the tambourines as backup. With a flick of her wrists, she opened up the fans, showing that both were the respective color of her dress, with white rose designs. The dancer's arms began to swirl around her body, and as the music's speed increased, she leapt into the air and spun like a little tornado.

Alasea slowly spun her way into the center after doing a small lap around the stage, all while spinning and flashing her fans. The dancer ended her spin and went into a kneeling position. She shot her arms straight back, opened the fans again, and started to rise. As her legs began to straighten, Alasea's arms began to weave around her body. The music quickened, and so did Alasea. Her feet started to guide her through circular and semicircular moves around the stage floor. Alasea continued her dance for several more minutes until the music began to disappear. She ended with a short forward flip and fell into another kneeling position. As soon as she finished, the crowd erupted into applause.

Alasea smiled and bowed as she rose. As she turned to leave the stage, something caught her eye. The dancer looked over and saw a young man dressed in blue clothing and a red cape. A longsword was strapped to his hip, and his face had three scars on it. The man gazed at her with familiar green eyes underneath brown hair and a smile as he clapped. She returned his smile and continued off stage, a little kick in her step. _He's here! _She thought enthusiastically as she entered one of the wagons to clean herself and get dressed.

One of the helping hands had filled a tub full of warm soapy water in her wagon. She eagerly undressed and slipped in, sighing with content as the water covered her tired, sweaty body. As she did, she laid her head back, closed her eyes, and thought about the man known as Rua Dragonheart.

After a while, she washed and got out, drying herself off with a towel. She looked at herself in a full-body mirror, turning around to look at the four pale scars that went down half her back. There was a scar alongside either side of her shoulder blades. She always wondered how she had gotten those scars. Her father told her that she'd had those scars since birth, but even he didn't know how she'd gotten them. With a sigh, she turned to her wardrobe and started rummaging through it. She soon found the outfit she wanted, and brought it out of the wardrobe and changed.

Finally, Alasea stepped over and looked at herself in the mirror. She was wearing an exquisite cream-colored shirt that had long, loose sleeves. The thick hems of the collar and sleeves were pink in color, with red triangle designs along them. Also, she was wearing bright red shorts, and soft leather boots. She had slipped a white hairband in her hair, and draped around her back and held up by her arms was a shawl of beautiful design.

Around her neck was a heavy pendant that her mother had given her shortly after her disappearance, right after her father's death. It was a strange pendant, shaped with a gold moon inlaid in black, set within a circle of gold that was thin at the top and thick at the bottom, with a sphere of gold laid into the bottom. She always felt a mystical, perhaps arcane quality around it. It was the only thing of her mother's that she had, and she was loath to take it off… the only times being when she danced, because it would cause a bit of damage if she did wear it then.

She touched it briefly, thinking of her mother, before she finally turned away and left the wagon. After opening the door, she looked up and down the street, wondering which way Rua had gone. Finally, she took off down the street, heading for the heart of the city.

* * *

Rua smiled softly as Alasea danced. He had many fond memories of the woman, a number of them involving her dancing ability. They'd met about a year after Kalia's death. He had made a brief return to Kurast, and that was where he met her… not far from Travincal itself. Travincal, the Temple of Light… a place that would mean his death should he enter. He always wondered what brought her there, but he never asked. They became good friends. He knew that her mother had disappeared and that her father had died in a battle with Ziatoch himself. That in itself impressed him; that her father had the guts to face the Master of Darkness. 

She had finished her dance and was walking off the stage when her face turned towards him. Their eyes met, and hers widened, and then she smiled warmly at him. _Still recognizes me, huh?_ He thought with a chuckle as she walked off the stage and headed towards one of the wagons. He wanted to follow her, to talk to her, but there were more pressing issues at hand. Besides… Alasea might recognize him, but the guards wouldn't. And he had neither the time nor the desire to fight them and win.

With a rueful sigh he pushed himself off of the wagon he was leaning on and walked off towards the other end of the square, in the direction that led to the city's heart. He stopped other people, this time asking the whereabouts of a library near the castle. Once again they citizens were unable to help him, but they weren't looking like he was a madman either. After a half-hour of fruitless inquiries, he was once again getting frustrated. He was walking away from two guards practically growling when he heard someone shout his name. At first he thought it was Rayne, since the voice was female. But there was a distinct sound of familiarity with this voice. And then it hit him. He quickly turned around to face what was coming.

Alasea was running, weaving in and out of the obstacles that obstructed her from Rua. When she at last reached him, she jumped and flew into his waiting arms, hugging him tightly. He in turn wrapped his own arms around her, the force of her collision causing both of them to spin around in a circle. Alasea was laughing as she embraced her old friend. After a moment her laughing died down and he unwrapped his arms from around her as she stepped back and looked at him with a smile on her face.

"Hey, Alasea," Rua said.

The girl took on a mocking serious attitude. "It's been over a year and I don't even get letters from you."

Rua raised an eyebrow at her, "You know I've been busy—"

"Of course you have," the dancer cut in, smiling again, "Busy saving Sanctuary from the Master of Darkness."

The two began walking again. "So, what brings you all the way out to this particular city?"

"I think I might've gotten a lead on what Ziatoch's up to. I just might've found a way to stop him cold."

"Really?" she asked, surprised and eager, "Then why are you here in New Tristram?"

"I heard from someone that Deckard Cain was residing here."

She asked quietly, "Who told you that?"

"Akara of the Rogues," the green-eyed warrior replied, "After helping combat the invasion of the Monastery half a week ago she agreed to help me find him. The scouts spotted him in the city."

"And I'm guessing someone told you he's at the heart of the city."

Rua looked at Alasea sharply. "You know where he is?"

"Y-yes… we're old friends. He helped my father immensely. Come on," she said while grabbing his arm, "I'll show you the way!"

They took off down the city street, Rua wondering all the way why she kept avoiding the subject of her father.

* * *

The two friends looked up at the expansive building before them. Upon the massive doors was the image of an open book. To Rua, it was looked like it was the largest library outside of any of the mage clan palaces. The size of the building dwarfed all the others around it. 

"Not too modest, is it?" he commented.

"It was a gift from King Meredith," Alasea replied, "Deckard always said it was too grand for him. But the king insisted…"

"I see. Well, whatever."

The two of them walked up to the doors and opened them. They stepped inside, and Rua gaped. Inside was a library that would've rivaled the one in Viz-Jun. There were dozens of shelves holding thousands of books. He distantly wondered where Cain could have gotten enough gold to purchase the tomes that he saw before him. Several scholars were sitting at various tables, with piles of books and documents around them. He even saw one of the bone-armored, black-cloaked priests of Rathma, more widely known as the necromancers. Several of the people looked up when they entered, and none of them seemed surprised to see Alasea there. She grabbed Rua by the hand and pulled him along through the expansive room and up a set of spiraling stairs.

As the two of them walked down the hall they were in, Rua gazed around it. For something that was given to someone from the King, the living space was decorated rather modestly. Only a few tapestries and paintings were hung from the walls, and at the end of the hall, next to a moderately gilded door, was a marble statue of a long-haired man wearing full plate mail, with a sword strapped to his back and a shield depicting an emblem of a dragon. Rua instantly recognized the statue to be one of Aram Kiros Denamon… the noble hero that destroyed Diablo beneath Tristram and doomed to become the Dark Wanderer. Very few people knew the man's true name… Rua had learned from his sister. How she had learned of the name was beyond him.

"Not what I was expecting for a gift from King Meredith," he said quietly.

"It used to be worse," the dancer replied, "Deckard got rid of most of it, though."

"Feh. It would figure. He might be a good king, but Meredith is still a fool."

"And how would you know?" she asked with a smile.

"I had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting him a couple years ago. Ziatoch and all."

"Oh," was her reply. They had reached the end of the hall. "Well, here we are, Rua."

The blue-eyed woman straightened her clothing and then knocked on the door. Rua was standing at the other side of the door, opposite the statue, and as luck would have it, he would be just out of Cain's line of sight. He heard someone getting out of a chair from the inside, and shuffling as the person headed for the door. And soon the door opened, revealing a burgundy-robed black-skinned old man, holding a walking stick on one hand and the door in the other. He was wearing some small reading glasses, and his gray eyes brightened in recognition as he took in the sight of the girl he cared for like a grandchild.

"Ah, Alasea! It is good to see you again!" he said with an old but strong voice.

Alasea embraced the sage and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Good to see you too, old friend."

"So, what's the reason behind this visit?" he asked, smiling, "Are you wanting to tell me more about this mysterious red-caped, green-eyed friend of yours again?"

Rua raised an eyebrow at Alasea, having been unnoticed by the Horadrim sage. The girl blushed furiously. Unable to say anything, she made a gesture to her side. Cain looked over, finally seeing the green-eyed warrior.

"Ah… I see. This _is _about the red-caped man."

"D-Deckard!" Alasea said, mortified.

The old man chuckled. "Well, come in, friends, come in…"

Once inside, Cain gestured for them to sit, settling himself in a chair across from the two friends, resting his walking stick across his lap. He looked over at Rua, taking in his appearance, from the tattered red cape, the gemmed blade that he had laid up against his chair, the scars on his face, and the intensity of his green eyes. Only once had he seen eyes like that, but at the moment he had yet to make the connection to Kalia Dragonheart.

"So, young man, it seems you are as sturdy and as handsome as Alasea tells me you are. Was it her idea to drag you all across the city to meet me?"

"Actually, sir, I've been looking for you for nearly two weeks now," he said quietly, "I've got something that I need your counsel on."

"Oh? And who was the one who revealed my location to you?" The sage briefly looked at Alasea, then back to Rua.

"No," he replied to his unspoken question, "It was Akara of the Rogues that told me of your location."

"Ah… I see. Well, young man, are you willing to tell me your name?" He asked with his fatherly smile.

"It's Rua… Rua Dragonheart."

The smile on the sage's face died, replaced by a thoughtful frown. Now he made the connection… now he recognized the eyes. He was the younger brother of Kalia Dragonheart. Finally, the old man sighed tiredly. "I see…"

Rua was watching him in a thoughtful silence ever since Cain reacted to his name. He obviously recognized it… but so did a lot of people. _No, _he thought, _He recognizes my name from something else._ Meanwhile, Alasea took turns looking at the two of them with a puzzled expression.

"So. She was right," Cain said softly, "The time really _is _at hand."

"She?"

"Yes… your sister, Rua. Kalia Dragonheart."

Rua looked at the man sharply. "You knew my sister?"

"Yes. You see, she came to me for my counsel, under the instruction of Tyrael."

Both youths' eyes widened at the name. The Archangel who had been rescued by the Heroes, and guided them to their triumph over Diablo, Mephisto, and Baal. _Tyrael spoke with Sis? _Rua's mind was in overdrive. It obviously showed on his face, he realized when Cain spoke again.

"Surprised, Rua? I was as well. To think, a normal woman, however gifted she was in combat and magic, was contacted by one of Heaven's elite. Yes, it was quite surprising to me. Did you ever wonder why she decided to fight this Master of Darkness?"

Rua looked down into his lap, perusing his memories. All he could remember is that Kalia had some sort of connection to Ziatoch, even though he was using a different name. He remember her leaving home for months at a time, and then coming back one raining night, needing his help in her next fight. Two weeks later he had made a promise of vengeance. But he never knew why she fought him… that part she had always managed to keep secret from him. Slowly, he nodded his head. Alasea reached over and gave his hand a gentle squeeze that he returned.

"Now, my friend, let's get down to business," the Horadrim sage said, "You said there was something you wanted to talk to me about."

Cautiously, Rua opened up his satchel and took out both the strange tablet and the Green Resurrection Stone, then handed both to Cain. The old sage put the Stone down on a small table next to his chair, and then read what was on the black tablet. When he put the tablet down, his face was as unreadable as Rua's. Alasea's puzzled expression gained a tiny portion of fear. The sage sat there for a few moments, pondering what the tablet meant. _The Karognis._ _I've seen that name before… once. Supposedly some dark force that was released thousands of years ago. Before the time Archangel Inarius waged war on Mephisto. But… if I remember correctly… nothing else was written about it. What does this mean?_

Coming up short on answers, the old man turned his attention to the Stone and lifted it up from the table. As he did, he noted that while it did indeed looked of stone, it felt of metal. It seemed to vibrate, not in his hand but in his mind… creating a sensation he had always felt before in his hobby of appraising unknown magical objects. Thus, knowing that the Stone did indeed hold magical powers, it was time to find out what it held. He concentrated, forming a spell in his mind that would reveal the nature of the artifact.

For a while, he felt nothing. And then, slowly, a mystical force unlike any he had ever felt before blossomed in his mind. It felt pure and untarnished by neither angelic nor demonic magic, nor did it seem to be linked to any kind of elemental energy. He delved further into the Stone, still seeking its secrets, and in his concentration he never felt the invisible wave of energy released from the ancient artifact.

Not once did he realize the mistake that he was making.

* * *

The reduced light coming from the waning moon had darkened the Barrier Mountains even further, causing them to look even more ominous to the watcher. Coupled with it's dangerous history and the rumors of monsters lurking within its hidden passages and canyons, it was enough to strike fear into any rational man. 

It suited Ziatoch just fine.

The Master of Darkness was standing on a high ledge in the Barrier, one leg in front and resting on a rock, with his arm rested on it as he hunched over and gazed out over the Western Kingdoms. His Armor resonated with the energies created by the demons behind him, waiting in the large canyon. The Stone had been liberated from the Barrier, once again by that accursed boy Dragonheart. Kara had failed both to acquire the Stone and to kill Rua Dragonheart and his friends Jordan Brewer, Rayne Tamriel, Kaelynn Dai, and the strange flying cat. He had been forced to punish the woman severely, but not enough to hamper her ability once the true battle begun here, in these allied nations.

But now it was time to redeem this fiasco and please his master. Now he was going to raze Khanduras, take the Stone, and finally end the growing threat of Rua Dragonheart. His old thought, the thought that Rua was the one, had only worsened these past weeks. In her last battle with him, Kara reported that Rua had unleashed powerful magic after a ring he was wearing glowed. That alone disquieted and discontented the red-eyed warlord. And now that he had that ring… it seemed it was true, and Rua really was the one. _If he has the Halo, _he thought, _then_ _things truly are going to be unpleasant in this war. _Not that it mattered. He was the greatest of Hell's champions! Nothing would stand in his way… he wouldn't stop until Sanctuary's skies blazed a crimson to match the burning skies of Hell.

He turned around to join his legion when he felt the wave of power sweep over him. He swiftly turned back and looked down on Khanduras' landscape. There was only one thing possible that could do something like that: a Resurrection Stone. That wave had been a resonation from a Resurrection Stone! Someone was trying to discover its abilities.

His blood-red eyes narrowed as he used scrying spells to pinpoint the location of the resonation. A cold smile graced his features, making him look slightly mad, as the location became evident. He spoke softly into the night.

"I will have all the Stones, Dragonheart. Mark my words. I will have Chaos on this world…"

His sudden shout echoed throughout the jagged peaks.

"I WILL HAVE THE KAROGNIS!"

He whipped around and strode to his waiting forces. The demons grew agitated and excited as they felt their master's fury and resolve. Not for the first time, the humans under his command cringed in terror. After he placed himself in the center of his forces, he summoned the Wings of Chaos, and with a thought, transported his army across the fields to surround New Tristram.

Automatically the monsters following him aligned themselves into formation. The Master of Darkness himself had appeared on a large overhang. He slowly drew Kasra, letting it rasp in its scabbard, and pointed it at the heart of the city, where the Monastery Castle stood.

"_Go, my demons! Use the shadows, and make my enemy's destruction complete!"_

The night seemed to darken as the mighty roars of hundreds of monster filled the air. They charged the city, their leader mounted on an undead steed, and quite soon, the battle for New Tristram had begun.

* * *

Rua, Alasea, and Cain had made their way down to the library part of his home. The occupants from before had already left, heading back to their homes. Rua had placed the Stone and the tablet back into his satchel and strapped it down, and Alasea had wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. As they journeyed downstairs, Cain told them names of books he needed them to get for him, and they set off while the black-skinned sage seated himself at a table, and silently cast a spell to light the candles on it. Quite soon, the two returned, each laden with several books. 

The couple set the books down near Cain, and as Rua sat down across from him, the sage saw a light green glow coming from the warrior's right hand. He reached out and grasped his wrist with a surprisingly strong grip. Rua looked at him questioningly.

"Where did you get this ring, Rua?" he asked quietly. He recognized that ring… and what it symbolized.

"The Amazon Isles," Alasea replied before he could answer it, "Near Amber's home city."

"Is that so? Do you know what this ring is, my friend?"

Rua looked at them with a raised eyebrow. Finally, he answered, "No."

"I see. May I have that for a moment?"

Reluctantly, the green-eyed warrior slipped the ring off of his finger, causing the green glow to fade, and handed it to the Horadrim sage. As he held it up to his eyes, he cast his identification spell on it, showing the ring's true identity to him. His eyes widened. It was. He had found it. Slowly, he gave it back to Rua, who was looking at him with a curious expression, and the warrior slipped it back on his finger. As he did, the green light started to shine again, and a tiny golden band of energy was now circling the jewel centered by the four wings.

"My friend… it seems you have discovered something of great importance," Cain informed him, "The ring you were is none other than the Halo of Love."

Alasea gasped. "B-but the Armor… I thought…"

"That it was a myth? Of course not. The Master of Darkness supposedly has the counterpart armor to it."

"Either of you care to explain what you're talking about?" Rua asked with a tinge of annoyance.

Cain looked over at him in surprise, and Alasea blushed. "I am sorry, Rua… your ring is an object belonging to a set of—" He never got to finish as the doors to his library were swung open hard. Several knights being led by a paladin strode into the room.

"Deckard Cain! There is an emergency! We must get you to safety at once!" the holy warrior exclaimed.

"What? What's going on?" Alasea cried.

"The city is under siege, lady Alasea. It is important that we get both of you to the safety of the castle."

"Who's attacking?" Rua asked. The man hadn't seen him, and when he did, his eyes widened in recognition.

"Demons, renegade! The Master of Darkness is attacking the city!"

Alasea gave Rua a frightened look as his face twisted in a snarl. The green-eyed warrior stood up and walked to the door. As he did, he drew his sword, feeling the gems embedded in it activate. He stopped next to the paladin. "Where?" he said coldly.

"Sighted moving around the perimeter of the city," the holy warrior returned just as coldly, "He's making his way towards the center."

"Alasea, find your way to safety," Rua ordered, back in his leader routine, "This city is too dangerous for you now."

"But, Rua!"

"No! Go now! I can't find Ziatoch and protect you at the same time!"

And with that, the green-eyed warrior dashed out of the building and into chaos.


	8. 06: The Battle for New Tristram

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Chapter Six

The Battle for New Tristram

As Rua charged out of Cain's library, he was forced to duck as a Goatman's axe attempted to separate his head from his shoulders. The green-eyed warrior rolled past and hamstringed the monster to cause it to collapse, before beheading it with his blade. He got up and quickly looked around. Soldiers were combating demons everywhere. They were outnumbered heavily, and there wasn't much hope. He had to find Ziatoch and end this as quickly as possible.

He tore off down the street, making his way back towards the inn. He needed the rest of his equipment… his sword and shield wasn't much to protect him here. As he ran down the street, a large Death Mauler burst out of a building in front of him. It immediately turned towards the green-eyed warrior and growled through its long sharp teeth, and stuck its smooth muscular arms into the ground. Rua saw this and jumped as two blood-colored spikes burst through the street in front of him. He sailed over and shot forward at the demon, cutting off one of its arms and then its head with his blade. Two Blood Lords arrived in front of the warrior, and he was forced back as they attacked. But before they could get the upper hand, Rua cast a Pulse Laser at the one of the bovine monsters, and Phase Shifted past the other, easily killing both.

He continued down the street, grimacing as the sounds of screaming humans and roaring monsters filled the air. He could smell smoke in all directions, and once or twice he heard the shrieks of what had to be more than one Dracolich. More demons were filling the streets, battling soldiers and townspeople alike. Rua readied his blade and charged into the fray. Two demons he couldn't recognize jumped him. He fended off the first attack with his shield, countering with a stab in the monster's throat, before whipping around and slashing at the other demon. It jumped back and flung a firebolt at him. The spell scored his shoulder, making him fall back. As the demon lunged again, Rua rolled to the side and launched into the air with his Driver attack, falling on top of the demon and pinning it to the ground with his blade. A number of arrows soared past the green-eyed warrior. He turned, and brought up his shield quickly as more arrows struck it. Without thinking, Rua cast a Thunder Blow spell at the group of corrupt Rogues sniping at him, but as he did, a few arrows struck his sword arm. The green-eyed warrior yelled in pain, and before doing anything else, he yanked the arrows out. He ran off down the street, striking down any enemy that got in his, shrugging off the few injuries he got and using his healing potions to repair the damage, not even bothering to watch as the wave of eldritch blue fire vaporized the party of women.

Monsters were swarming the area around the inn he and his friends were staying at. A Devilkin Brute was waving around a large club towards the back of the swarm… a perfect target. Rua charged forward, flinging a fireball at the barbaric creature. It screamed in pain as the orb of flame struck it, causing the monster to ignite. More monsters turned to see what the problem is, only to find a charging human. They attacked. As Rua charged forward, he cast another spell before turning to attack at a different angle. The four points of light connected to fire the Pulse Laser as the green-eyed warrior tore into the group with a Phase Shift.

A Storm Lord lashed out with an electrified claw at him, but his gemmed longsword easily swept off the offending arm. He struck the monster across the face with his shield, knocking it back into two more demons, and slashed two Carvers that rushed him. He fought his way towards the door, and when he finally reached it, he had to punt a Leaper that was scratching hungrily at the door out of the way. He swung the door open and shot inside, slamming it closed as another demon flung itself at him. Inside the inn, two men helped him force the door close completely and barricade it. The green-eyed warrior stepped back as he heard a demon begin pounding on the door. Finally he looked around at the inn.

It looked like they'd had demons inside earlier. It was a mess, with tables knocked around, furniture upturned, and human and demonic blood here and there. Several of the workers had armed themselves with whatever could serve as weapons, and only three of the men were armed with actual weaponry. He grew annoyed. "What the _hell _are you people still doing here?" he shouted at them, causing a few to jump, "Find some way to get out of here, it's too dangerous!"

No one seemed willing to make a move. Rua threw the family glare at them. "NOW!" he bellowed. That did it; they started moving. The green-eyed warrior pulled out the key to his, Relayia's, and Jordan's room, and took off up the stairs. When he got to the door, he noticed that it was ajar slightly, and he looked at it suspiciously. He nudged it open, readying his sword, only to find that only his armor was still inside. Jordan must've already been here. He looked back outside at the doors leading to each woman's room, and found them both open. Rua shrugged and took his armor off of its rack, and began to put it on.

A horrible screech, followed by the sound of an explosion, cut through the air just as he finished buckling on his breastplate. He turned around quickly to see a large bone claw rip open the side of the wall. The wall crumbled away, revealing the skeletal visage of a Dracolich. Rua yelled out in surprise and leapt backwards as the monster lashed out with a claw again, tearing out more of the wall. Rua shook his head once, glared at the undead dragon, and readied his sword as it roared again.

* * *

A group of warriors was torn to shreds in seconds when the ground beneath them exploded from Ziatoch's spell. _Pitiful fools, _he thought, _they should know by now that they can't beat me._ He gazed around imperiously at the city from atop his undead mount. With a wave of his hand, he willed his minions forward, grinning as they began to tear everything before them apart. A roar sounded through the air as one of his Dracoliches tore into an inn. He turned his mount to stare at it. Obviously it had found one of the people he sent them out for. The red-eyed warlord grinned as he wheeled his horse back around. Now it was time to find Dragonheart and the Stone. 

A group of warriors rounded the corner of the street and spotted the Master of Darkness. One of them pointed and shouted, riling the others into action. With a cry, Ziatoch heeled his steed forward, drawing Kasra in one smooth motion, allowing its blade to once more glow with unholy light. As he charged forward, he swung upward at the first soldier, killing him instantly. His steed leapt over three others, and as it landed, Ziatoch turned it lightly and stuck out his left arm towards the warriors. A bolt of red lightning lanced out and struck each of them in turn, killing them all. He turned his attention forward again… only to curse the sight of a chanting paladin. Before he could do anything constructive, the holy warrior finished his chant and flung a glowing hammer of energy at the Master of Darkness. With inhuman speed, the red-eyed warrior had leapt off of his steed as the hammer blasted through it and ended its twisted life.

The dark warlord landed several spans away from the paladin. He cocked his head slightly to the side and glared coldly at the knight of Zakarum as the man drew his own blade. As the other man readied himself, Ziatoch struck, dashing forward and making a low cut. Startled, the paladin jumped back as he parried, then pressed his attack. Ziatoch anticipated his overhead slash and stepped out of the way, swinging his sword across the holy warrior's side, parting his chainmail and the flesh underneath. The man staggered, and Ziatoch turned and pointed the Soul Crusher at the paladin. An Unholy Bolt, a bolt of energy emitting black rays of light, shot out of the blade, slamming into the holy warrior and finishing the job. Ziatoch turned back around to see the other soldiers closing in. He grinned cruelly as he sheathed his dark blade.

He began chanting for a spell granted directly by the Eye of Anguish, the eye-shaped amulet around his neck. A blighted aura surrounded him as he raised his right hand up and cast his Pestilence spell. A green-gray fog rose up around the Master of Darkness, surrounding the offending warriors. As they backed away, trying to figure out what trickery they were up against, one of them fell to his knees, clutching his throat and gurgling. One by one the spell took hold of them, causing their bodies to rot and decay rapidly while they still lived. They were vomiting and bleeding, and in a few gruesome moments, there were nothing but gore-covered bones surrounding the unholy being. Ziatoch laughed madly as he strode confidently and harmlessly through the dissipating mist.

He concentrated on a spell to try and pinpoint where the resonance from the Resurrection Stone originated, but even his prestigious abilities were sabotaged by the amount of magic in the air, interfering so much that the spell was starting to give him a headache. The red-eyed warlord frowned and shook his head, then continued towards the heart of the city.

He continued down the streets of New Tristram, striking down any human that came near him, whether it was man, woman, or child. Didn't matter to him… they'd all be destroyed in the end. Quite suddenly, a huge, seven-foot barbarian warrior in leather armor, wielding a battleaxe, dropped down from a building several spans away from him and turned towards him, a grim frown etched onto his hard face. The Master of Darkness immediately ran forward, drawing Kasra, ready to meet his opponent. As the hulking man swung down with a vertical chop, Ziatoch sidestepped and struck out twice along the barbarian's arm. The man shrugged it off and swung around with his weapon again. The Master of Darkness easily blocked the attack with the Emblem of Hatred, and then parried the highlander's second attack with Kasra, smacking it to the side and away from him. The man went around for a third strike, using all of his might, but his red-eyed enemy caught his axe with his sword easily, stunning the northerner.

Ziatoch grinned as he forced the axe up with Kasra and pushed the barbarian away with his armored foot. As the man staggered back, Ziatoch raised Kasra and slashed him down his chest and stomach. The man only growled in pain, however, and punched the warlord in the chest. Ziatoch was forced back, but he never felt the blow through his armor. Instead, the unholy warrior dashed forward, leaving a gash across the barbarian's side. He turned when he was a span away from the warrior, only to find two more barbarians joining the first. Ziatoch began to chant with a malicious leer, and as the three northerners ran at him, he sheathed the unholy demonblade and pointed his hand at them, watching it as it was swathed in black flame. He finished the chant and lashed out with Shadow Flame, a spell granted by the Embodiment of Destruction, the body armor he was wearing.

A massive wave of black fire grew out of his flaming hand, consuming the warriors and leaving nothing but blackened carcasses. He grinned cruelly. These people had no idea what they were up against. But now, it was time to turn it up a notch. The Master of Darkness raised both of his hands up into the air and began to chant for an extremely complicated and unbelievably powerful spell to take advantage of the growing weakness of the barriers between Heaven, Hell, and Sanctuary. A ball of black energy formed above his outstretched arms as he chanted in the spidery language of mana. The nucleus of the orb began to pulsate a sickly red as the power intensified. His chant deepened, and quite suddenly, the orb blasted into the sky, forming into a black beam before disappearing. The night sky grew a crimson color as the clouds blackened. Silvery tines of lightning struck the ground all around the city. New screams erupted into the air as weak red portals began to slowly open up in various parts of New Tristram, allowing demons to emerge into the world.

Ziatoch smiled. _Perfect. If this doesn't lure him out of hiding, I don't know what will._ A light wind rose up as he turned and drew his blade, the wind whipping is cape into the air. With the spell completed, he returned to his task of seeking out his nemesis.

* * *

Jordan busily hacked away at the gargantuan body of a Wendigo with his sword, before turning around and chopping two Dark Ones in half. An Oblivion Knight stepped up and slashed him across the back, resulting in only a minor cut. The bandit lord growled and attacked the undead warrior ruthlessly. 

"RAYNE! ON YOUR LEFT!" Relayia shrieked above them.

Rayne turned and whipped her leg across a corrupt Rogue's face and followed up by stabbing the woman in the chest with her new scissor katar, skewering her heart. She quickly turned back and parried another Rogue's sword when she felt her presence behind her, and then lashed her other new weapon, a claw, across the woman's face. Two arrows pierced her leather armor and she screamed in pain. She spun around and fired off a Psychic Hammer at the offending Rogue, and the woman staggered back, only to be consumed by Kaelynn's Inferno spell. The assassin heard something step forward behind her, and the blond-haired woman spun around, her weapons lashing out to make killing strokes. However, the Balrog easily backhanded her across the face, knocking her to the ground. It raised its sword to impale her to the ground when three ice bolts appeared in its wide chest, causing black blood to burst from it. With a groan the monster fell backwards, and Rayne immediately got up and darted towards another battle.

A bolt of lightning lanced out from Kaelynn's left hand, electrocuting a Succubus about to dive down on her thieving companion. The demonic woman shrieked in anger before launching a pulsing orb or blood-red energy. The sorceress easily sidestepped the attack while chanting and flung a powerful fireball at the winged female, causing her to burst into flame. A roar sounded beside her and she turned, barely able to catch the axe swung at her with her staff. Mustering her strength, she pushed the offending weapon off of her and started to skillfully attack the Blood Lord with her weapon, deftly spinning and swinging, landing blow after blow, before jumping back and impaling it with a Glacial Spike spell.

The hazel-eyed sorceress turned her attention on another demon, never noticing the charging demon behind her. However, just as she had flung a Chain Lightning spell at a group of Carvers, the large form of Jordan collided with her, knocking her out of the way. They both fell to the ground, and Kaelynn started to growl, wondering just why this moron had rammed her… until she saw the Balrog that had been running at her with its fang-shaped blade raised over its head. As the monster turned around, snarling, throwing blades burst out of the monster's back, and the monster roared as it died.

Between the combined efforts of Jordan, Rayne, and Kaelynn, guided by Relayia's watchful eye, the companions made their way down the street away from the inn after they had retrieved their equipment. "We have to find Rua and figure out what the hell is going on!" Jordan shouted out to them. Before any of them could respond, an unearthly roar cut through the air, making both Relayia and Jordan's skin crawl. They all turned around and watched a Dracolich larger and sturdier than the one that had assaulted Lut Gholien tear into the very inn that they had just left. Jordan looked at the women, and all three nodded before tearing down the street. As they did, Relayia dived down and grabbed a hold of Jordan's sleeveless shirt, hanging on for dear life.

"Well that shows who's attacking!" Jordan shouted out over his shoulder.

"No, really?" Rayne shouted back, getting annoyed, "Whatever gave you _that _idea?"

"Gee, maybe it was the big bony dragon busting down our hideout!" he replied with an idiotic grin. He gripped his giant sword tightly.

Rayne and Kaelynn both glared at the bandit lord, and then returned to their task at hand. There were monsters up ahead, and they all readied themselves as Relayia launched herself into the air. They tore into the raging battle, where humans and demons were already in the heat of combat. Almost immediately they took injuries as they fought through a swarm of Balrogs, Storm Lords, Goatmen, and other ill-assorted monstrosities. Just as the battle was about to turn into the humans' favor, it happened. Kaelynn whipped her head around as she felt a surge of magical energy, along with Rayne and the other mages in the group. The night sky, filled with smoke and illuminated by multiple fires, began to darken. And suddenly, a black ball of black energy fired up into the air well away from their position. The spell exploded in the air, and instantly the sky began to change. It seemed to fill with blood, and black clouds bloomed. Quite suddenly, lightning blasted down from the shadowy clouds, striking the roads and buildings alike. A red portal opened up before behind the group of warriors, and more monsters poured out.

Jordan gaped as he readied his weapon once more. _How in the hell…? _He shook his head. It had to be Ziatoch, of course. Rua said he was capable of shit like this. With an angry yell, the bandit lord threw himself at the oncoming horde, with his friends and the other warriors following suit, while Relayia took high to the air to observe. _Where are you, Rua?_ The flying cat wondered.

* * *

The Dracolich moved in with its head to take a snap at the green-eyed warrior, giving him the perfect chance. Rua sidestepped as the monster came forward, slashing it twice across the snout. It growled and pulled back, and Rua cast a Pulse Laser spell that flew right into its eye socket. The monster roared in fury and pulled out, its horned head shearing through part of the ceiling and collapsing it. Rua saw his chance, darted forward, and leapt out of the inn room, landing on the undead dragon's back and awkwardly running down the ridge of its spine like a flight of stairs. He jumped off before he reached the monster's tail, rolling away and readying his gemmed longsword for battle as the monster turned around, thrashing its tail wildly as its eye sockets glowed red, signaling it was about to use its breath weapon. It roared once more and flung a large glob of acid at the green-eyed warrior, but he was prepared. He launched himself through the air with his Driver attack. As he did, he noticed the occupants from the inn fleeing in terror down one end of the street, away from the center of the city. It gave him an idea. He came down on the joint of one of the monster's wings, stabbing his blade through. The burst of elemental energy, combined with the spray of poison that issued from the blade, eroded the weakened connection and caused the wing to fall to the ground with a crash. 

Rua turned immediately towards the Dracolich's face and cast another Pulse Laser. Four pinpoints of light fired off four rays, combining into an arm-thick mana beam that charred the rotting skin on the side of the Dracolich's face. The monster roared furiously, attempting to bite Rua as he leapt off the undead creature, landing on its forearm and running off of it and down the street, away from the fleeing people from the inn. The monster shook its head and roared before taking off after the green-eyed warrior, completely ignoring its severed, useless wing. Rua ran, his legs fueled by desperation. He knew that the Dracolich could easily run him down, and without his friends' help, he'd be dead. He began to chant, and then spun around, flinging a ball of blue energy into the air, before turning back and sprinting as fast as he could, despite his armor. The Thunder Blow spell slammed into the ground in front of the undead dragon, and it stepped into its widening ring. The wave of eldritch blue fire that blasted upward charred much of the monster's rotten flesh and scales, and its imprisoned soul wavered. The monster screeched and fell back slightly.

As he ran, the green-eyed warrior noticed that he was heading straight for another battle. A small band of warriors in plate mail, led by three paladins, were battling a larger group of undead, including Oblivion Knights, Reanimated Horde, and skeleton warriors. Rua grimaced and charged forward, his shield held out before him and his blade low at his side. As he neared the first skeleton, he swung his shield as hard as he could, causing the undead warrior to shatter from the impact. He immediately swung his sword at another enemy, catching the blade of an Oblivion Knight before it could strike down another warrior. He flung a fireball with his shield arm and destroyed one of the Reanimated Horde, hoping that it would stay down. Something slashed him across his back, tearing through cape and biting into his armor. The green-eyed warrior staggered forward, and something else slashed his arm, and yet another slammed into his shield.

A terrifying roar sounded as the Dracolich arrived, catching up with its quarry. It stopped and watched the battle with some confusion, then roared again. The three paladins spun around, readying their weaponry, and attacked. They began to pelt the Dracolich with Holy Bolts, magic bolts that shone with white light and were able to damage undead and heal living people. The undead dragon roared again and stepped back, turning slightly and shielding itself with its only remaining wing. It responded the holy warriors by spitting a glob of acid at them, causing all three fighters to dodge. The undead creature growled and lunged after one, pinning the armored man to the ground. Almost without thinking, the paladin reversed his grip on his broadsword and attempted to sever the offending claw. The monster growled and leaned its head down to disembowel the struggling human, when suddenly two shimmering Blessed Hammer spells collided with the side of its snout. The Dracolich roared in fury as it shook off the pain created by the two golden hammers of magic, and turned to attack the other two paladins. As it did, the undead dragon released its struggling prey, allowing it to counter. A large, silver bolt of lightning speared down from the crimson sky, exploding against the monster's back, splintering into a thousand rays of holy light. Some of the beams shone through the undead fighting against Rua and the other warriors, destroying them instantly while leaving the humans unharmed. The Dracolich roared once more, turned, and fled. The paladins quickly gave chase.

Rua had taken three more wounds before he was forced to choke down another healing potion in the midst of battle. As he flung away the empty bottle to the ground, he slammed an Oblivion Knight with his shield before impaling the undead soldier on his blade, causing it to burst into flame. He swung around in a tight circle, slashing any of the undead that came near him. A Reanimated Horde slammed into his back, knocking him down. The green-eyed warrior rolled when he fell, slashing another Oblivion Knight through its twisted armor as he rose. He spun back around to catch the Reanimated Horde charging again, its large weapon held up high, and his fireball took it flush in the chest. He looked around then, suddenly realizing the battle was over and that he was the last one standing. The six warriors that had been there before him were all dead.

Or so he thought.

One by one, the bodies of the warriors began to twitch. Their plate armor blackened, their shields shaped themselves into arrowheads with grinning skulls imprinted on them, and their helmets grew four horns much like the helmet that Ziatoch wore. They stood up and grasped long bastard swords, and the eye sockets of their helms began to glow red. One by one they turned to face Rua, and the green-eyed warrior's eyes narrowed. The Doom Guard. They had morphed into members of the Doom Guard! Something inside him snapped. "Well, you want to fight?" he snarled, "Come then! Let's _fight!"_

Immediately a glowing red Fanaticism aura etched itself and slowly revolved around Rua's feet. The green-eyed warrior flung himself forward at one of the Doom Guard with surprising speed, his blade screaming down at the undead knight's armored head. The being parried the blow with its own weapon, but Rua's sword, strengthened by his aura, sheared right the blade and stopped in the middle of knight's head, crumpling the horned helmet. The undead knight was consumed by fire from the inside, leaving charred armor in a heap behind. Rua whipped around with a horizontal slash, his blade streaming with the released magical energy of its gems, and left a large gouge in a skull-imprinted shield as it bounced off. Without thinking, Rua pointed his shielded left arm at the Doom Guard while chanting and fired off a Holy Bolt. The spell slammed into the armored torso of the undead knight, causing him to growl and step back. Rua's sword swept his head from his shoulders, and the green-eyed warrior turned to battle another opponent as the undead knight was incinerated.

Two more Doom Guardsmen stepped forward and attacked. Rua blocked one sword with his shield, and used his own blade to parry the other sword streaking towards him. He forced both weapons off of him with his new artificial strength and lashed out in a zealous frenzy. In five powerful strikes, he had reduced both undead knights to piles of ash housed in burnt armor. Rua twisted around while chanting and fired off more Holy Bolts at the fifth Doom Guardsmen. They easily found their mark, forcing the undead warrior to back off. Rua was chanting again, and he placed the blade of his sword against his forearm and cut through the blue sleeve of his tunic and the flesh underneath, letting the sacrificed blood infuse his weapon's power. Rua lashed out at the fifth Guardsmen, slashing again and again, forcing the undead knight back. Rua bellowed in anger and feinted, slashing the Guardsmen down from the neck to the groin. He spun around and glared at the remaining Doom Guard as the fifth one's body disintegrated behind him. The undead warrior gazed at him cautiously, and readied his blade. He never heard the chant Rua was whispering. When the Doom Guardsmen charged forward with his bastard sword raised high, Rua pointed his own blade at the undead knight as he completed his Fist of the Heavens spell—another silvery bolt of lightning lanced down from the sky and struck the ebon-armored undead. The knight screamed as his body was consumed by the rays of light blasting out from the spell's impact.

Rua looked around warily, slightly crouched with both his sword and shield ready. His breath caught in his throat, however, when he realized what he had just done. He had wielded the holy magic granted to Knights of Zakarum, the Paladins… magic he swore he'd never use again. Not since he had fled Travincal when he learned the truth behind Sankekur and the Council of Light… and the Prime Evil that had infested them. He had left, escaping with the help of a female necromancer. And he vowed to never use the magicks granted to him when he was training to be a paladin… yet here he was, destroying six of the most powerful types of undead with that same magic. It was the vow that had retarded his abilities with magic, but it looked as if he still had the touch for holy magic. The green-eyed warrior cursed as he cleaned his sword of his own blood and the ash using the clothing hanging off of the corpse of one of the Reanimated Horde. When he was done, he deactivated his aura and looked around, wondering where he should go to find the Master of Darkness.

He finally noticed what was going on in the city, and his face paled. _Not this… _he thought frantically, _not this again! _Just like before. The billowing clouds, the crimson sky, the constant lightning… just like what happened to… No. He wouldn't let this city suffer the same fate. Time to find Ziatoch and either kill him or force him to cancel his spell. The green-eyed warrior snarled as he took off deeper into the city, and although he didn't feel it, power was flowing into him in a trickle.

* * *

Jordan pounded his fist into the snout of a Goatman bearing the telltale signs of a severe scratching from Relayia. The monster whinnied as it stumbled back, and two more fighters converged on it, hacking it to pieces. The bandit lord turned, earning him another cut on his arm, and buried his gigantic sword into the back of another Goatman, causing it to topple backward while screaming. He yanked his blade out of the corpse and dove further into the battle. A Balrog landed behind him, but the sandy-haired man didn't hear it over the din of combat. The demon raised its jagged blade over its head, only to have two spinning throwing blades burst out its shoulder. The monster's arm fell uselessly to its side, and the demon snarled as it turned around. The snarl abruptly cut off as it saw the open green-gloved hand pointed palm-first at its face. Before it could do anything, Kaelynn's Glacial Spike skewered the monster through the face, and it collapsed dead as the burst of cold air froze nearby demons. 

The sorceress shifted her staff into both hands and cracked the heads of two more demons approaching her. She quickly cast her Enchant spell, causing her weapon to glow red as it was infused with magical fire. She continued on with her fight, occasionally blasting away an enemy trying to sneak up on Jordan or Rayne. The assassin was flitting around the two in a wide irregular circle, using her scissor katar and claw to hamstring opponents, cutting at weak-points and allowing the other combatants to finish them off. Occasionally she'd Mind Blast a grouping of demons to try and confuse them into attack their own kind. As she made another dash around the battlefield, a green-skinned Balrog stepped out before her and backhanded her before she could attack. The tattooed-faced assassin skidded across the ground, rolled once, and stopped inside the heart of the battle. She used her feet to spin herself around, kicking anything that got too close away from her, and pulled herself up. Immediately she had to leap back as a Blood Lord threw Jordan down, right where she had been laying earlier. She pulled two more throwing blades out of her satchel and flung them at the bull-like demon, causing the beast's throat to explode. The bandit lord pushed himself off the ground and shot his trademark grin at the young woman, and despite the situation, Rayne felt like slapping him.

The two of them pushed on further into the fray. The advantage had changed, and the demons were falling back. Kaelynn appeared at their sides and began lobbing spells into the hordes of monsters as the fighters pushed them back up the street. As they did, more demonic bodies littered the ground than humans, and the Hellspawn turned tail and ran. The three companions themselves stayed behind while the other warriors gave chase, catching their breath.

"Should we follow them?" Rayne asked. Relayia fluttered down and landed on the blonde woman's shoulders.

"Nah," Jordan replied, "We have to find Rua. You do know he's got the Stone, or did you forget?"

Rayne glared at him, but Kaelynn reached him first and thumped him on the back with her staff. "I don't have time for your foolishness, Brewer."

"Whoa, what's got your undergarments in a bunch, honeypie?"

Relayia sighed. "Jordan, what was it that Rua said about you hitting on sorceresses?" the little dragonet asked.

Jordan froze. "Er…"

After no one said anything for a minute, the bandit lord turned and started off down a side street, his sword held out cautiously before him. The two women also walked with him with their own weapons held ready. Relayia flew slowly above them. Shadows played across the walls between the stone buildings, and the screams and sounds of battle seemed distant. The fires being raised all across the city slightly illuminated the black clouds that billowed over the sky, and the four of them could see that lightning danced through the ominous clouds.

Rayne was getting edgy. "This whole place," she whispered, "should be overrun with Hellspawn. Can anyone tell me WHY there isn't any?"

"I don't know, assassin," Kaelynn whispered back, "Something tells me that something is very wrong."

"What do you think is up? Is everyone in this area dead or something?"

"I think so," Jordan butted in, without any humor in his voice for once, "Take a look over there." He gestured with his blade.

Three disemboweled bodies were in the street near a warehouse. The four of them slowly made their way towards them, still on the lookout for enemies. As they got closer, they noticed that each corpse was wearing bloodstained silver armor and carrying swords and tower shields. The bandit lord blanched as he gazed at the corpses of the paladins. "How the hell…?" he whispered. He turned and looked at his friends. "We _really _need to find Rua."

"What, did you lose your precious leader, Brewer?" asked a cold, mocking voice behind them.

The three humans spun around and gazed in fear at the armored figure standing on the peak of a house's roof. Ziatoch's black cape billowed in the wind as he grounded Kasra's point into the rooftop. He favored them with a cold smile. "A pity you haven't found him yet," the dark warrior said, "Because then I could've destroyed all of you at once."

Jordan growled as he brought his weapon up into a ready stance, trying to anticipate when the Master of Darkness would attack. However, the dark warlord only smirked at him. "Do you actually believe you can defeat me, Brewer? Only you precious leader Dragonheart ever managed to stand up to me. What makes you think that you, Tamriel, Dai, and the cat can beat me at this game?"

Jordan looked around in surprise, and saw that his companions had also readied their weapons in preparation for a battle they couldn't possibly win. Relayia stood on top of Rayne's head, her fur and feathers standing up as she bared her teeth at the warlord. Grinning, the sandy-haired thief turned back to Ziatoch. "Well, I know that he wouldn't give up. Hell, he'd probably be trying to tear you a new orifice!"

"How astute of you, Brewer," the dark warlord replied, "He would… and he would die. I'm far more powerful than I was last time the two of us met."

Jordan swallowed but held his ground. "So is Rua, bastard! He'll beat you eventually!"

Ziatoch only smiled as he watched the four of them with cold indifference. "Tell me, Brewer, which one of your men found the Tomb of Resurrection within the Barrier?"

Jordan blinked. "What are you talking about?" he growled.

"I'm only asking which one found the tomb that held the Stone. When I take your feeble checkpoint, I want to be able to thank him personally."

"What?"

"Don't worry… I'll leave SOME of them alive. I'll take the place after I have the Karognis under my control. Then I'll thank them personally for helping me secure the Stone."

Jordan snarled, his body tensing. Ziatoch, however, turned his attention to the women behind him.

"The two of you, however," he said to them, "I'll leave to Kara… she's very eager for a rematch, Tamriel."

"Let'er come, then!" Rayne shouted, "I'll take her on any day!"

"And you, Dai," continued Ziatoch, ignoring the furious assassin, "did you like how she helped me remodel the Palace?"

"Bastard!" yelled Kaelynn, "I won't let you get away with hurting my sisters!"

The Master of Darkness smirked. "I thought I already had."

The sorceress shrieked as she flung a bolt of lightning at the dark warlord. Ziatoch casually lifted Kasra, however, and pointed it directly at the oncoming bolt. It struck the tip of the Soul Crusher's blade, and blue light flared as the unholy demonblade consumed the lightning, creating a small thunderclap. The Master of Darkness grinned as he once more grounded the point of his sword into the rooftop. Electricity danced briefly down its black blade before disappearing, it's unholy glow made stronger for a moment.

"My, my, you have some spirit! A pity you had to join that fool Dragonheart on his futile quest to stop me."

Kaelynn stepped back, visibly shaken by Ziatoch's might. The man had easily shown that he was ready for anything the hazel-eyed woman threw at him. His smile grew wider as the wind intensified, billowing his cape even more. "Well, I _must _be going," he said as he sheathed Kasra, "I have a green-eyed fool and a Resurrection Stone to find, and you're wasting my time."

"So you're just going to kill us now?" Jordan spat.

"No."

His answer startled the four companions. The Master of Darkness continued, pointing one black-gauntleted hand to the warehouse behind them. "He will, however."

An ungodly roar ripped through the air, and the four of them spun around in surprise. Jordan's eyes widened as a massive one-winged Dracolich exploded out of the front wall, roaring in fury. Ziatoch smiled cruelly, then turned and walked away laughing.

* * *

A high shriek sounded through the air, and Rua stopped. _That sounded like a little girl! _ He thought frantically. He looked around, trying to find out where it came from when he heard another one to his right. He immediately took off in that direction, going through two side streets before arriving at another town square. He readied his gemmed longsword and looked around, finally spotting the commotion. 

A little girl was being cornered by a large demon, the likes of which Rua had never seen before. It stood nearly nine feet tall, on reverse-jointed, fur-covered, hoofed legs like that of a Goatman. Its upper torso belonged to a heavily muscled human, except it had gray skin and was covered with black tattoos and markings. It had a barbaric looking face, with two long tusks jutting from its mouth and curling up over its head. Greasy black hair fell down from its head to its shoulders, resting between large, black bat-like wings. The monster was growling and clenching its fists as it advanced on the helpless girl, who wept as she crawled backwards, trying to get away from the Hellspawn.

Rua's breath caught in his throat when he recognized the girl. It was the same girl who had given him Cain's whereabouts! Her dress was ragged and slightly torn, and her face was covered in dirt and grime, with clean tracks being cut by the tears falling from her eyes. Rua snarled as he started forward to intercept the monster. However, as he took his third step, two arrows suddenly appeared in the demon's backside. The beast roared in pain and anger as it turned around. Rua looked in the direction from where the arrows had come from and froze. Alasea was kneeling on the ground, holding a longbow horizontally. She had changed into a different shirt and had donned light plate armor over her torso, and a look of determination was etched across her features. _Dammit, _he thought angrily, _I told her to get out of the city!_

The monster roared once more and it ran across the square at the blue-eyed dancer. The young woman looked frightened, but she held her ground and loosed another arrow into the demon's shoulder. The monster twitched and growled. Rua made his move. The green-eyed warrior dashed forward, pulling air particles around him into his Phase Shift attack and tore his blade across the monster's back, reappearing beside it and twisting around, slashing the monster across the left arm. The beast staggered to the side, and Rua flung a fireball into the demon's side. The beast snarled as it was blasted backwards to the ground. Rua looked around and spotted Alasea dashing over to the girl's side, picking her up with one arm and pressing her face to her shoulder. Rua ran over towards them.

"I told you to get the hell out of here, Alasea!" he said in exasperation.

"I know, but I couldn't!" she told him, "I wasn't going to let you fight this alone when you don't need to!"

"I can take care of myself! I don't need to worry about you while fighting Ziatoch!"

"Rua…!"

"I won't forgive myself," he told her quietly, "if I let something happen to you."

Alasea opened her mouth, but was silenced from the roar of the demon as it forced itself back up from the street. Rua whipped around and glared at the monster, holding his shield and sword at his side.

"Alasea?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Run."

Alasea looked at him for a second, then nodded as she tightened her grip around the crying girl. She slid her bow over her shoulder with one hand, wrapped her other arm around the child, and ran away as hard as she could towards the gates. The monster roared its fury towards the crimson sky and charged its green-eyed challenger.

Rua roared his approval with arms outstretched.

* * *

Sorry about the long delay in posting chapter 5. My proofreader is way too busy to read my chapters or even work on her own story, so I'll have to go solo for a while. O.o I've already got the next chapter done and I'm close to finishing chapter 8. I may or may not get that posted for a while, as I'll be moving to a new state soon and I'll have to get settled down, and after that, I can only work on the story on weekdays. Whenever I work on a chapter, I post its progress in my profile, so go there to check the progress of the story.

Stay tuned for the conclusion of the battle for New Tristram in Chapter Eight: New Tristram's Fall. C'ya!

Rising Dragon


	9. 07: New Tristram's Fall

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Chapter Seven

New Tristram's Fall

As the beast neared him, Rua launched himself into the air with this Driver attack. The beast sailed by under him, and the green-eyed warrior landed, begun to chant, and turned. The tusked demon was turning around when Rua's Pulse Laser struck it in the shoulder, pushing it back. Rua readied his blade and made his own charge at the monster, slashing quickly and repeatedly as he arrived. The demon bellowed and backhanded him. Rua caught the attack on his shield, but he was still thrown away from the demon. He landed on his feet, however, and charged again. The monster was ready and slashed with its claw as the red-caped warrior drew near. He slapped the claw away with his shield and struck once more, his blade sliding across the monster's other arm, and as the magical energies were released from the gems in his weapon, more damage was inflicted. He rolled out of the way before the demon could retaliate.

The monster turned and lunged at him before he could do anything, knocking him to the ground. Rua was pinned under the demon's weight, and he struggled to free himself. He somehow managed to jam his sword between himself and the demon as they fell, and he violently dragged it across the monster's chest. It bellowed as it pushed itself off of the green-eyed warrior, and he saw his chance. He chanted and cast a Flare spell at the demon, and the cone of fire forced it back away. He pushed himself off of the ground and backed away from the demon, preparing himself for another attack. When the demon stepped forward as it recovered from the burning assault, Rua flung a fireball at the monster. It exploded against the beast's chest, but the monster smiled horribly. The spell hadn't affected it at all, and Rua frowned. He jumped back and flung another fireball at the same time, and the beast roared, stepping through the flames unharmed. It suddenly broke out into a run, and the green-eyed warrior was forced to dive out of the way. Rua twisted around and brought his blade up to attack, and then flung himself at his opponent, slashing down between the beast's wings.

The monster bellowed and whipped around, its fist crashing into Rua's side. His armor absorbed most of the impact, but the green-eyed warrior still staggered back. His blade flashed out in a rising arc as he regained his footing, causing the monster to step back, clutching its shoulder as violet blood ran from the wound. Rua danced back out of the angered demon's reach, flinging another fireball at it. Again it didn't affect the monster, but the beast roared in pain as Rua followed up with a lightning bolt that took it square in the chest. The red-caped warrior's eyes widened in surprise as he witnessed this. He jumped to the side as his opponent made another lunge at him. He turned and cast another lightning bolt at the demon… and watched as it bounced harmlessly off of its backside, the bolt streaking away and blasting out a portion of a building. The demon turned and slowly advanced on Rua. The green-eyed warrior cursed as he backed up cautiously. When the beast started to growl, Rua made his move.

Rua streaked by with Phase Shift, slashing the monster across its ribs. As he reappeared two spans away from the demon, he turned and flung a fireball spell at the demon, smiling in satisfaction as the demon stumbled forward, snarling in pain as the flames licked his back and wings, charring some of its greasy hair. Rua's eyes narrowed in fury as he realized the demon's secret. It can't be hit by the same element twice in a row… he'd have to alternate his elemental spells for any lasting damage. The beast turned around while roaring once more, lifting one claw in the air. Rua raised one eyebrow, looking at the demon in tense suspicion, and then flung himself to the side as the monster threw a very large bolt of lightning at him. It slammed into the wall of a building beside him.

Rua turns back to face the monster, only too see another incoming bolt. Unable to do anything else in time, he threw up his shield to defend himself, and let the bolt slam into it. The green-eyed warrior yelled out as he was flung backwards from the blast, skidding across the street. The beast advanced on him menacingly as he tried to get up. It roared again as it raised both of its fists into the air, but before it could attack, two arrows appeared in the demon's chest. The beast stumbled backwards, looking angrily at the offending arrows from between his tusks. Rua pushed himself up off the ground, backing up and readying his sword and shield.

The green-eyed warrior looked to his side and saw Alasea rush up beside him, nocking two more arrows into her longbow. Before they could say anything to each other, the beast screamed in fury and launched itself through the air, heading straight for the two companions. Rua readied himself as Alasea leapt skillfully away from the demon. As it closed in, Rua rolled on the side in a tight half-circle and rose up behind it, slashing upwards with his gemmed longsword. The beast roared in anger as the blade slid up its backside, and it attempted to swing around to retaliate. However, as it did, two more arrows embedded themselves in its shoulders, and another grazed its back. The monster roared again as it ripped out all of the arrows sticking out of its body, then twisted around and flung a lightning bolt at the blue-eyed woman. She skillfully danced out of the way of the bolt, nocking another arrow in her bow and letting fly, this time glowing blue and leaving a blue-white trail as it flew. It struck the raging demon, and ice soon covered the wound. The beast shrieked in pain, and Rua dashed forward and struck out several times at the monster. Dark blood layered his blade when he retreated, and the demon, seemingly unfazed, turned to attack the offending human. Alasea fired two more arrows into the demon's back, and several more through its wings. Rua immediately cast a Pulse Laser.

As the azure beam struck the beast in the stomach, Rua launched himself into the air with Driver. The monster stepped out of the way as the green-eyed warrior descended, gaining a couple more arrows in the side for its trouble. Ignoring the pain, the demon punched Rua in his armored chest, knocking him backwards. As he fell back, Rua cast a lightning bolt at it, striking it in the chest once, causing the beast to cry out as it burned its shoulder. The monster fell backwards, roaring in fury as it grabbed at its wound. Alasea was suddenly by his side, helping him back up from the street. As Rua got up, words for a new spell entered his mind. He made a quick glance at his ring; it was glowing blue again. After he sheathed his blade, Rua closed his green eyes as he began to chant. He held up his free hand, clenching it in a fist as his chanting quickened. Alasea had once again taken up feathering the demon with arrows, dashing around in a quick circle to avoid the monster's retaliations, her years of dancing keeping her safe.

It was about to attack the woman with a lightning bolt when Rua finished the chant to his Impulse spell and opened his eyes. An aura of dark blue light swathed his unclenched hand, and the green-eyed warrior shouted out to the demon, catching its attention, and made a throwing motion at it. Its eyes widened in surprise and a snarl was etched on its face when a glowing ball of magical energy issued from the green-eyed warrior's hand and blasted through its chest, causing gore to spray out as the monster was thrown backwards. Rua waited tensely before deciding that the beast was dead. He was disturbed… he'd never come across a monster quite like this in his travels. _Just what in the name of Heaven was that thing? _He wondered. He looked over at some movement and watched as Alasea approached him.

Rua gave the woman a flat stare as she stopped in front of him. "You don't listen, do you, Alasea?"

She seemed unfazed by his look. "I couldn't just leave you here, Rua."

"I told you… I can take care of myself. You should've gotten to safety."

Together the two of them started walking along random streets, noticing that the numbers of demons were thinning out in their area of the city. They had ran into only a few demons, most of which were slain from Alasea's skillful shots. Rua never knew the dancer to be so adept with a weapon… but then again, Rua hadn't seen her fight at all until the chaos that was happening this very night.

* * *

Ziatoch leapt off of the other end of the building he had been standing on when he had confronted Brewer, Tamriel, Dai, and that annoying dragonet. As he landed, he heard his injured Dracolich roar a challenge at the four companions, and he smiled. He didn't think the monster would kill them, but it'd easily keep them occupied long enough for him to take the Resurrection Stone from Dragonheart. Fool, thinking he could keep the Master of Darkness away from his goal! Complete, stone-brained fool… however, a dangerous fool. The green-eyed warrior was getting strong ever since he had given him those three scars on his face, the ones that Rua had refused to have healed, finally laying his hands on one of the seven pieces… the ring, the Halo of Love, much like his amulet, the Eye of Anguish. 

Ziatoch concentrated on another spell, this one to try and locate the lifeforce of Rua Dragonheart. He already knew that the spell to locate the resonance from the Stone was too complicated for the hectic atmosphere of New Tristram, but it didn't matter. If he could locate Rua, he'd locate the Stone. And then his plan would finally be set in motion. Already he had ideas, spawned from the Tomb of Resurrection, on where the other seven Stones may be hiding. After casting the spell, the Master of Darkness waited for a response. He cursed as more moments passed by. He was about to give up when a faint resonance from halfway across the city came to him. The dark warrior's eyes narrowed as he smiled cruelly. The red-eyed warlord gripped Kasra casually as he dashed down the street towards his rival, only killing anything that got in the way of his dash and ignoring the ones that were smart enough to stay out of his path.

After a while, humans began to fling themselves into Ziatoch's path. Each one was killed, whether by Kasra or the demonic magicks granted by the Armor of Hell's Darkness. Black fire and multicolored lightning would lash out at waves of his pitiful enemies; gray-green fog and crimson maelstroms would decimate groups of his human opponents. Human. He didn't know if that name could still be applied to him. He was much, MUCH more than a simple human… he had already felt the subtle changes growing in him after all of these years since he prostrated himself in front of the Lord of Terror, within his inner sanctum of the Chaos Sanctuary. He was stronger, faster, and smarter.

And easily the most powerful, most feared war leader since Bartuc.

The Master of Darkness felt the resonance again, much more closer than before. His excitement and fury rose as he felt the green-eyed warrior's presence in a pavilion next to the street he was on. An entire general store exploded against his magical onslaught, giving him a way through to the square. The fiery shrapnel tore through multiple humans, but the wreckage headed his way bounced off a magical barrier he had erected before he destroyed the building. As he walked through the flaming ruin, the heat never reaching him through the shield, he spied Rua battling a few demons in a long, rectangular space decorated with two fountains. One of them was partially destroyed, and leaking water around the pavilion. Thunder rolled in the stygian clouds overhead. Ziatoch smiled darkly. "So, we meet again, Dragonheart."

He had hefted Kasra up and pointed it straight at the green-eyed warrior. His smile widened as a black orb of energy emitting an unholy red glow formed at the Soul Crusher's tip.

* * *

The streets were still more or less calm as Rua and Alasea walked through them, both on the lookout for approaching demons or undead. They had been silent for a while, but Rua decided to speak up as a sudden thought entered his mind. 

"What happened to that girl?" he asked his blue-eyed companion.

"Girl…? Oh! After I left, I found the party that was escorting Deckard out of the city," she replied, "They still haven't escaped."

"Are they okay?" the green-eyed warrior asked her, concerned about the old man.

"Yes. He had a few of the soldiers carry some chest for him and the books we laid out for him. The library is gone. I think _he _destroyed it."

"I see." There was no question as to who _he _was.

They continued on a little longer, both wondering why the demons had stopped appearing to attack them. It was strange… demons were crawling all over New Tristram, yet none of them seemed to be in their area. They both knew that the battle still raged on, as sounds of roaring, screaming, and steel crashing against steel could be heard in the air. After a while, Rua came to a decision concerning Ziatoch and the battle to be fought… he hadn't found him yet, but they would fight and Rua would put an end to this.

"Alasea."

The blue-eyed dancer looked over at him. "Hmm?"

"I know I can't get you to not help me with these monsters," he told her, "But when I find Ziatoch… you have to leave."

"What! Why?" she exclaimed.

"You know why. He'll kill you just to get at me. You can't beat him, Alasea… and I'm not going to let you die."

"Rua…" she said sadly.

"Promise me you'll leave once we find him. And don't come back for me during our fight."

She looked at him stubbornly, almost like she was about to refuse. His raised eyebrow stopped her, however, and she sighed and nodded. "You win."

Rua nodded and motioned for them to continue. After a while, Alasea spoke up. Seemed like both of them were perturbed by the absence of monsters in the area.

"Do you think it's a trap?" she asked.

Rua looked at her briefly, and then went back to watching the street. "Yes," he replied.

"So… he'll be waiting for you?" the blue-eyed dancer inquired.

"More than likely. If there's a trap, he'll have planned it. So if it springs, go. Find Jordan and Re. There'll be two women with him… an assassin and a sorceress."

Alasea looked at him curiously as he mentioned Rayne and Kaelynn's occupations, but said nothing for a while. When Rua opened his mouth again, she spoke.

"Don't worry, I'll go," she said, "But if you die, I'm making your afterlife miserable."

The renegade paladin looked at her in surprise, and then burst out laughing.

"You've got a deal."

They stopped when they reached a pavilion. Multiple monsters looked up at the two of them in surprise, and then they began to growl, awaiting the green-eyed warrior's challenge. The area itself looked to be a war zone… one of its two fountains was shattered at the side, and a pool of water was widening around the hooves of a Blood Lord. There were some fires here and there, and a few human bodies littered the ground. A few of the buildings around the pavilion had been reduced to rubble, and they were burning. There were three large towers among the buildings surrounding the place, and when the lightning flared overhead, the silhouette of Monastery Castle could be seen nearby. But that wasn't what was now suddenly bothering Rua. The growling and snarling of the demons intensified.

"He's near," breathed the green-eyed warrior.

Alasea looked at him sharply. "What?"

"Ziatoch," he stated, "is close by. You have to go."

"Are you sure, Rua?"

"I am… I can feel him."

The blue-eyed dancer looked at him with a look of concern. However, as a few of the demon's stepped forward, she nodded to the renegade paladin and took off, back down the street. She looked at her friend one last time over her shoulder, seeing him ready his blade one more time, its blade seeming to glow from the elemental energies imbued in it. _Be careful, Rua! _ She prayed. She would look once more before losing sight, but what she would see would make her heart pound in fear.

The green-eyed warrior struck first as he flung a Thunder Blow into a crowd of Dark Ones and flung himself into the pavilion as the wave of eldritch blue flame incinerated the small devils. As he rushed into the midst of a new battle, his Fanaticism aura sprang up again, and his blade cleaved through the bones and black robes of a Vampire Lord, causing it to explode into flame. He twisted around and slashed out the throat of another monster, not even watching as the thing toppled over, gurgling and drooling black blood from its mouth. He cast a Pulse Laser spell that sheared through three Goatman before launching himself into the air with his Driver attack. He landed on the Blood Lord that had been standing in the pool of water by the broken fountain, his blade impaling the monster through the chest, and fire, lightning, and cold mist burst out of the wound in a tiny wave.

As a Thunder Blow spell vaporized several more demons, Rua realized that there wasn't too many monsters to begin with, and that his fight was rather easy. The green-eyed warrior, being the fatalist that he was, was wondering when the first surprise was going to pop up, and from where. His mind seemed tense; he still noticed that feeling of menace in the air, the feeling that he almost always felt whenever the Master of Darkness was nearby. He would be here soon, and then they would battle. His longsword swept off the head of a Balrog, and he turned and spilled the entrails of another that had approached from behind. Suddenly, a building at the edge of the pavilion exploded. The shrapnel flew everywhere, striking down many of the demons. Rua paid it no mind as none of the wreckage came close to his position. He flung a fireball at a Succubus that swooped down from above, the orb of flame tearing off one of its feathered wings as it exploded against the demonic woman. He felt something creating a magical force somewhere in the pavilion, but he was too preoccupied with the monsters he was fighting to investigate it. Thunder rolled in the crimson sky as lightning danced through the

Quite suddenly, the magical energy he sensed swelled. Instantly he was able to pinpoint it, and a fierce crimson light shone from the Halo. As he whipped around, he could only stare in surprise and horror as a large orb of stygian energy slammed into the ground in front of him, exploding into a dome of black energy. The green-eyed warrior screamed as he flew through the air and struck down on the street spans away. The shield that his ring had erected absorbed most of the impact, but Rua's body still ached, and his aura quickly died out. He forced himself up from the ground to see Ziatoch, fully armored, cape billowing, and Kasra drawn, walking down from the ruins of the exploded building, a cruel smile etched on his face, making him look slightly insane.

Rua steadied himself once more, his Fanaticism aura still illuminating the ground he stood upon. He readied his sword and his shield, and his eyes burned with fury. The remaining demons were fleeing in terror as their master appeared before them. Thunder rolled again, much louder than before. A bolt of lightning struck down into the pavilion, silhouetting them both from the blast. The Master of Darkness' eyes blazed, and suddenly, he attacked. He had charged across the pavilion, his dark sword raised overhead. Rua stepped back, eyes wide with surprise, and swung his own blade out to meet it. The swords met in a loud clash of steel on steel, and Rua's arm shuddered under the force of the blow. Rua forced the blade away and thrust with his weapon, only to have it glance off of the Emblem of Destruction. The red-eyed warlord raised his armored foot and kicked Rua in the chest, knocking him backward. As the renegade paladin fell, he flung a fireball at the Master of Darkness. Snarling, he slashed the orb of flame, splitting it into two smaller balls that flew past him harmlessly. Rua had regained his footing, and was about to attack, when suddenly, his opponent was very close to him, his sword sheathed and his right hand open and pointing at his midsection. Ziatoch blasted him with an Unholy Bolt spell that flung his green-eyed nemesis away from him. Luckily, he had managed to raise his kite shield in the way of the attack. His feet had skid across the ground as the dark spell forced him backwards, and when it dissipated, he fell to his knees. His shield had been partially melted by the spell. He was exhausted, and he fell forward, catching himself with both hands, his sword pinned beneath them.

Sweat dripped from his face as he was looking at the street, breathing heavily. His mind whirled. _How had he gotten so strong? _He thought frantically, _is there still a way to win?_ And he honestly didn't think so… it seemed that… this was the end. And he hated it. He had failed… failed and broken his promise to avenge his sister. But… why didn't this feel like the truth…? Thunder rolled overhead once more, and a few drops of water plopped down on the pavement he kneeled on. His eyes widened in surprise as…

What the renegade paladin didn't know, however, was that Ziatoch was already using a spell to break his will. This time, the dark warrior wasn't taking any chances. And it was working! He smiled cruelly as he gazed down at the green-eyed warrior. He drew his sword and held his arms out wide. "So, I shall defeat you now, Rua Dragonheart…"

A feminine voice whispered in Rua's mind. _Don't give up now…_ it said, and a warm presence filled him. _Kalia?_ He thought.

"… and then you will open the door and lead the world into everlasting darkness!" The Master of Darkness raised Kasra up over his head, seeming to be stuck in slow motion. More drops of water fell from the sky, striking his black and violet colored armor, and another lightning bolt lanced out and struck the ground, illuminating the area, quickly followed by the sound of thunder.

_You haven't failed me, Rua… I believe in you! Don't give up!_

The Soul Crusher cleaved the air as Ziatoch brought it down using one hand with all his might, determined to end the nuisance of Rua Dragonheart.

_Rua! _Kalia yelled out in his mind. The pupils of his eyes contracted, and he looked up sharply. Steel clashed on steel once more as Rua threw up his blade to meet Kasra, and another thunderclap sounded. Ziatoch growled as he grasped Kasra with his other hand, but Rua, filled with new confidence and fury, activated his Fanaticism aura once more and flung the dark blade off of him, causing a shower of sparks as the two weapons slid across each other.

"Forget it, Ziatoch. There's no way I'll let you win."

The new rainfall started to strengthen as two combatants readied themselves for one more showdown, as the sound of thunder, screaming, and war echoed into the crimson night sky.

* * *

The one-winged Dracolich looked down imperiously at Jordan, Rayne, and Kaelynn. Relayia had taken to the air again, far above the Dracolich. The young dragonet had previous encounters with these monsters that she didn't care to repeat. As she watched down at the upcoming battle, she wondered where Rua was, and if he could come help them. Thunder rolled across the burning sky. 

Jordan, despite the danger, started to grin as he readied his blade for combat. _Shouldn't be _too _hard, _thought the sandy-haired brigand. He heard the assassin and sorceress behind him ready their own weaponry. The monster before him growled furiously and stepped forward. Almost immediately, Kaelynn was chanting for a spell, and before the Dracolich could do anything else, blades and chunks of ice bombarded the undead dragon from the air. It screeched as it stepped backwards from Kaelynn's Blizzard spell, the frozen chunks bouncing off of its rotted hide and bones, holes being torn in its remaining wing. Jordan and Rayne made their moves and charged.

Jordan made his attack at one of the beast's legs, while Rayne used her Dragon Flight technique to land a flying kick into its face. It growled and made a snap at the young assassin, but she nimbly leapt out of the way, soon finding her way back down to the street. It snarled at her, only to have a fireball explode against its face. The beast roared in fury as it turned towards the offending sorceress, who was readying another spell with her staff, and its eyes began to glow red. It took a step forward towards the raven-haired spellcaster, when an audible crack was heard, sending waves of pain up the degenerated nerves in the monster's left foreleg as Jordan's massive blade slammed into it, fracturing the bone. It bellowed and slapped the bandit lord away from itself.

A psychic burst slammed into the beast's face just as a lightning bolt struck its throat. Its eyes flared red as it screamed in fury and layered the ground with its acid breath weapon. Kaelynn leapt backwards, turned, and dashed out of the way. Rayne had already been out of the range of the attack, and she countered by slamming a Mind Blast into the beast's face in an attempt to disorient it. Meanwhile, Jordan was forced to dive underneath the enraged beast's torso in his efforts to escape the burning fluids. When he realized just where he was, he gazed up at the monster's ribcage, and the glow he knew to be inside. Most of the ribs were covered in rotting flesh and scales, but the light of the trapped soul within escaped from gaps in the hide. He began to slash awkwardly and wildly at the rotted skin, but his weapon made little impression on it, but then he noticed ligaments around the edges of hide, attaching it to the ribs. He desperately swung with his giant sword, and managed to shear two of the bindings of flesh in half.

The undead dragon reared up on its hind legs and roared, its cry overlapping the sound of the thunder. Jordan saw his chance and escaped from the beast's underside. The enraged monster slammed its forearms back down into the street, causing the ground to shake and making both Kaelynn and Jordan lose their footing. It ignored the pain that shot up the left leg as it did. The three warriors regrouped, and Relayia fluttered down and landed on Jordan's shoulder, fur sticking up and growling at the undead dragon.

"Well, what now, Brewer?" Kaelynn asked the bandit lord.

"Yeah, didn't you say you've fought these things before?" Rayne inquired tensely.

"We gotta break its ribcage," replied the sandy-haired brigand, "and then hit the soul with magic."

"Fine," exclaimed the sorceress, "We'll just have to figure out a way to leave itself open for us to attack."

"Gotcha! Let me handle pissing it off!" Rayne shouted, and readied to fling herself at the monster.

Jordan also readied his weapon. "You'll take care of its weakness?"

"Yes," she said to the brigand, "I will banish the soul."

Suddenly, three devices began firing lightning bolts at the Dracolich, causing it to screech in surprise and bringing Jordan and Kaelynn's attention back to the battle. Rayne had laid the three Lightning Sentries down to distract the monster, and charged forward at the beast, prompting Jordan to do the same. The beast, meanwhile, shielded itself with its remaining wing, effectively blocking two of the devices' projectiles, and roared defiantly at the two charging humans. Its eye sockets burned, and when it opened its maw, an orb of black energy blasted out at Rayne, instead of a glob of acid. Rayne leapt over the offending energy as it exploded against the pavement, and countered with another Dragon's Flight technique, suddenly appearing beside the beast's head and slamming her booted foot against the fleshy part of its temple.

The beast cried out as its head rocked to the side. The assassin quickly fell back down to the street, launching herself off of the Dracolich's upper forearm. As she did, she noticed a small number of ligaments holding the flesh on the ribcage. When she landed, the blue-eyed assassin twisted around and flung two throwing blades at the undead dragon's torso, aiming for one of the ligaments. However, the beast shifted its stance and the lethal projectiles ricocheted harmlessly off the monster's foreleg. The Dracolich looked down at her in surprise and fury, and used its arm to bat the woman away from itself. It then roared and leapt forward at Kaelynn.

The raven-haired sorceress was prepared for it, and when the giant beast lunged, her Meteor spell took the monster flush in the snout. It roared in surprise and anger, and the sorcerer began pelting it with Ice Blasts, forcing the temporarily blinded monster back. The Lightning Sentries that Rayne had laid earlier threw a few more bolts at the undead dragon before deactivating and falling apart. Jordan quickly charged in and slashed apart another ligament holding up the fleshy shield guarding the soul. It roared again and leapt up into the air, glaring downward at the bandit lord as it fell back towards the street. He stumbled backwards as the monster descended. As it landed, the street buckled from the impact, and the sandy-haired brigand was knocked off his feet from the shockwave.

However, when it did this, the Dracolich had temporarily forgotten about its fractured left foreleg. When it landed, a resounding snap was heard as the fracture worsened and finally gave way, and the beast bellowed in pain as the leg suddenly bent out of place, the jagged end of bone tearing through the remaining flesh on the leg. It pushed itself up, its leg hanging uselessly, but before it could do anything, Rayne had darted in and, while gripping the flesh with her claw, cut two more of the ligaments with her scissor katar. Jordan also closed in and severed some of the ligaments and then grabbed a good chuck of the flesh and pulled, trying to keep from sicking up at touching the repulsive creature. Rayne sheathed her weapons and grabbed hold too, and together, the last ligaments began to tear as they yanked the flesh off. The beast slammed itself back into the ground in anger and desperation, successfully forcing the two warriors off of its body, but not before too much damage had been done. The hide covering its torso had been mostly torn away, leaving the ribs and its soul exposed.

The beast forced itself back up from the ground with its good foreleg, and then roared as it proceeded to drench the two stunned heroes with its acid breath weapon. As its eyes began to burn crimson, a Glacial Spike collided with its head and shattered, issuing cold mist across the side of its face. The beast roared again, this time in surprise, as the remaining flesh and bone began to freeze and the red glow in its eyes began to fade. It turned towards its third opponent and began to growl, its eye sockets glowing red once more. Kaelynn cast an Energy Shield on herself and readied her own weapon, the chants for several spells ready in her mind. The beast threw its head back and roared, then flung it back down, flinging an orb of black energy with it at the raven-haired sorceress.

Caught unprepared, the hazel-eyed woman was forced to leap back, but as the attack exploded in front of her, she was sent flying backwards, showered in rubble. She coughed violently as she forced the offending rock and paving off of her, and her ears were ringing, but they easily picked up the menacing growl she suddenly heard above her. The one-winged Dracolich glared down at the raven-haired sorceress with empty eye sockets. The dragon's soul imprisoned in the ribcage bathed her in a cold glow, and she saw her chance.

Thrusting both hands out in front on her, one of them gripping her staff and crossing it in front of her, Kaelynn chanted and lashed out with her Inferno spell. The large gout of fire blazed out from her outstretched hands, swarming over the monster's midsection. The flames consumed the hanging flesh, and the beast fell back and cried out in pain as its trapped soul wavered. It backed away, visibly weakening, and Kaelynn stood up and advanced on the beast, still holding her hands out and burning away at the beast's body, and at last, the soul winked out of existence. The undead dragon's body collapsed in on itself as the power that held its rotting and degenerated corpse together disappeared, and only then did the Zann Esu woman cancel the spell and lower her hands.

Rayne and Jordan stumbled over to the now burning remains of the Dracolich, and a thoroughly shaken Relayia fluttered down to land on Kaelynn's shoulder.

"Eh… wasn't too hard," said the bandit lord, earning him a pair of angry glares from the women, which he conveniently ignored, "Now what do we do? Follow Ziatoch?"

"Oh, that'd be a _brilliant_ idea, wouldn't it?" Relayia yelled at the brigand.

"Quit yer whinin', cat," Jordan grumbled.

"I say we try and find Rua," Kaelynn said, "If Ziatoch has gotten as strong as I suspect, he'll need our help."

Jordan sheathed his giant sword back on his back. "Well, we better get started finding him." His three companions nodded their assent. Thunder rolled overhead, and the sandy-haired brigand felt a few raindrops strike his shoulder as he turned to head deeper into the city.

"Where do you think they'll—" he cut off as something struck his chest and recoiled back. Jordan looked down to see a reddish-brown haired woman sitting down on the ground, a bow slung over her shoulder. She was cursing softly, and she looked up at what she ran into with cerulean blue eyes.

"Aw, hell," Jordan swore, offering a hand to the fallen dancer. "Does Rua know you're here, woman?"

"Yes," she said, taking his hand and lifting herself up, "He told me to find you and your new… friends."

The two other women raised eyebrows at the newcomer, but said nothing as Alasea continued. "He made me leave him behind. When I looked back, he was fighting Ziatoch. We have to help him!"

"We were on our way to that, girl, don't worry," Jordan reassured her, ignoring several more raindrops that struck his body. The assassin and sorceress nodded and were both readying their weapons when a very loud thunderclap echoed across the city, seeming to be much closer than any before, and all of them felt a light shower start. Relayia shivered and opened her mouth.

"We can't," the dragonet stated.

"The hell we can't, cat!" Jordan growled, turning to the creature that was perched on Rayne's shoulder.

"We don't have a choice anymore!" she yelled at the bandit lord, "Rua and I both know what that thunderclap means! We have to _go! NOW!"_

"What are you talking about, Re?" timidly asked Alasea.

"The spell that Ziatoch made takes advantage of the barriers that were weakened by the Worldstone's destruction," the flying cat explained, "and that last bit of thunder meant it was going to get worse. Face it. This city is doomed."

"But… we can't just leave him here!" the dancer exclaimed, "He needs our help."

Jordan laid a large hand on the dancer's shoulder and shook his head when she looked at him. "I think the kitty cat's right. We gotta go… Rua can fend for himself, we both know that."

The girl sighed and gave up. "Fine. You win," she spat. Relayia launched herself off of Rayne's shoulder and landed on Alasea's, and she nuzzled her cheek. Alasea scratched the pink animal's head, smiled, and nodded to the three others. "Let's go."

As the five of them took off towards the streets, Alasea looked back just as the sky seemed to open up and flood the city. _Good luck, Rua!_

_

* * *

_  
The rain poured immensely down onto the rooftops and street corners of doomed New Tristram. The townspeople fled as warriors and mages battled the Hellspawn that had been unleashed in their home. The rain washed the streets clean of the blood that had been shed, but the fires springing up in the city defied the torrent, still trying to consume whatever building they had ignited. Thunder rolled overhead, and tines of lightning struck the ground and shredded through buildings. The rain had intensified into a torrential downpour, and the humans were fleeing… all but two. In a ruined pavilion near the center of the city, two warriors had engaged in a duel, one of many. One sought to finish off the source of his troubles, while the other hoped to completely end this madness.

For Rua, it felt as if Heaven were close. The sky seemed to be bearing down upon him as he countered the opening blows of a battle he fought for revenge. Of a battle he fought for solace. Of a battle he fought for hope.

The green-eyed warrior leapt backwards as Ziatoch slashed downwards, flinging a fireball at the dark warrior. The shield that he had erected absorbed it, and the Master of Darkness countered by lashing out with a series of Unholy Bolts. Rua managed to dodge each of them, and moved forward on the offensive, his blade flicking out at his nemesis' face, throat, chest, and stomach. The Master of Darkness skillfully parried each blow, then dodged the last one by side-stepping out of Rua's reach, causing him to overextend, and his armored boot lashed out and caught him in the back. Rua fell forwards, skidding across the drenched pavement, the water soaking into the exposed sleeves of his tunic, his trousers, and his tattered cape. He managed to turn it into a roll and then pushed himself off of the ground, dashing away as an all-too-familiar bolt of red lightning lanced out from Ziatoch's demonblade and struck the bit of street he had previously been skidding across. The green-eyed warrior had already been chanting for a spell, and as he faced his far-off attacker, his Pulse Laser pierced the rain, punched through Ziatoch's energy shield and into his shoulder, causing the red-eyed man to stagger backwards.

Rua dashed forward at the human monster with his blade ready by his side. Ziatoch, already recovered, swung the Emblem at the incoming warrior, missing completely as the renegade paladin sidestepped out of the way, but the red-eyed warrior smirked as he followed up by swinging Kasra in the same direction as his shield. Rua was forced to catch the black sword with his own battered shield. The green-eyed warrior thrust his blade at the dark warlord. However, Rua's blade only glanced off of the black-and-violet shield that the Master of Darkness carried, and both warriors leapt back and attacked again. Ziatoch managed to parry his opponent's first pair of swings and countered with an upward swing of the Soul Crusher, catching Rua off guard. The red-eyed warlord's jubilation was cut short as his weapon's blade only made a minor gash on the green-eyed warrior's breastplate, having managed to step back far enough to remain uninjured. Ziatoch growled and flung himself forward, his blade screaming as it cleaved through the rain and air.

Water was flung in all directions as Rua and Ziatoch traded blows back and forth, the water being flung off from their swords and armor. The rain continued to drench their clothing as the two opponents sought to kill each other, their blades flicking out over and over again as each hoped to land a hit on a vital weakness—difficult for Rua, whose nemesis was covered in demonic armor created by the Prime and Lesser Evils. The green-eyed warrior was forced to utilize the many auras he had acquired during his training as a paladin, switching back and forth with them to keep up with the unholy strength and speed that Ziatoch possessed.

It was suddenly Ziatoch's turn to be surprised as Rua cast a lightning bolt spell in close quarters, barely giving him time to dodge. He succeeded, and the Master of Darkness spared a moment to watch as the lightning bolt lanced out through the water-thick air and blast apart a bit of rubble on the ground. The hairs stood up on the back of his neck, and Ziatoch twisted back around. Stepping back, the red-eyed warlord brought Kasra up in a tight arc as Rua's blade swung downward. Sparks flew as the blades grinded against one another, and finally Ziatoch leapt backwards from the attack. His armored foot splashed into a puddle of water as he landed, and Rua's sword rang as it struck the paved street. Rua immediately leapt back himself and brought his blade up into a ready stance, as the two fighters glared at one another.

_Where in Hell is he getting all his power? _Ziatoch's mind screamed frantically, _Brewer was right! This fool really _has _gotten stronger! _The dark warrior's visage was twisted into a malicious sneer. _No matter! It is time for him to die! _He sheathed his blade and held up one black-gauntleted hand, and a large ball of stygian black energy began to form in front of it. Rua raised an eyebrow at the dark warrior, and readied himself for his enemy's attack. The orb grew to the size of Ziatoch's head, and started to vibrate slightly as faint beams of black light emanated from it. Shoving it forward, Ziatoch unleashed his Shadow Beam spell. Rua threw himself to the side as a beam of unholy black energy blasted out, emitting two rings of black energy from the focal point. The Shadow Beam tore through the support of a building, causing it to collapse in on itself as the beam faded away into nothing. Rua picked himself up and glared again at his red-eyed opponent.

Lightning flashed overhead, and Rua darted forward. Ziatoch dodged his first slash and danced out of the way, drawing Kasra in the process. The dark glow sprang up around the black blade, and he struck. Rua barely managed to twist around and catch the Soul Crusher with his own sword, and his arm shuddered under the blow. He flung it off of himself and slashed downward, and before Ziatoch could jump out of the way, his blade made a clean cut down the red-eyed warlord's armor. Unfortunately, the weapon couldn't pierce the enchanted metal and it began to repair itself. Rua stepped forward and punched with his shield arm, striking the Master of Darkness squarely in the chest with the battered kite shield. Following up, the green-eyed warrior yelled as he backhanded the dark warrior with the same arm, his shield knocking him off of his feet. Ziatoch shouted in anger as he fell onto his back from the blow.

The Master of Darkness rolled out of the way and got to his feet just as the enraged Rua stabbed downward at the spot he had just recently occupied with his sword. Blood ran in a rill from his mouth, and the rain quickly scoured it away. Ziatoch swung upwards with his sword to parry Rua's next attack as it streaked down through the downpour. Steel rang on demonic steel, and the dark warrior forced the gemmed longsword away from him and slashed at Rua's unprotected legs. The green-eyed warrior leapt backwards and danced away, preparing for another round of attacks. The Master of Darkness snarled and reversed his grip on Kasra, thrusting its blade through the paved street. He mentally channeled his unholy power through the blade and into the ground. The road exploded underneath Rua in a shower of rubble, and he yelled out in pain and surprise as he was flung backwards through the air. Miraculously the renegade paladin managed to right himself in the air and land on his feet, but Ziatoch was waiting. He had pointed the unholy demonblade at his nemesis and unleashed a flurry of Unholy Bolts at him. Rua's eyebrows rose as he watched the incoming barrage of dark magic and he threw up his shield, silently praying for his ring to help him.

Sure enough, many of the bolts that didn't strike his shield were repelled off of a faintly glowing blue barrier that had suddenly appeared in front of him. However, as the last of the bolts stopped, Rua looked up just in time to see a black ball of energy throwing off red light streak towards. It exploded against his shield and the barrier in a dome of black magic. He was thrown backwards across the pavilion, skidding through a puddle of water before rolling to a stop. The green-eyed warrior forced himself back up onto one knee, grounding the point of his longsword to prop himself. He stared coldly at the slowly approaching Master of Darkness. His armor was even more battered, blood ran from a tiny cut above his eye and from the corner of his mouth, and he could feel more blood running from cuts in his arms and legs, where the rubble from the explosion had sheared through his clothing and the skin underneath. His body was soaked, but he barely felt it. He was still warm from the heat of battle. Only death was cool.

"Do you see how little it all matters?" Ziatoch asked suddenly, raising his arms to his sides, "How easily I can take it all away, should I choose to do so?"

Rua stared back defiantly and said nothing. Lightning flared across the crimson sky, and the rain fell harder than ever.

"Beware, Dragonheart! Beware, _hero!_" the red-eyed warlord shouted across the pavilion as he strode across it, "The Abyss is all around you! You float or fall into it at _my_ whim!"

The Master of Darkness suddenly pointed his dark blade at the renegade paladin, a large black ball forming at its tip, throwing rays of black light off of it. Rua rolled to the side as the Shadow Beam blasted through the rain towards him and slammed through the first undamaged water fountain. The fountain exploded from the magical onslaught, throwing shrapnel in all directions. However, none of the debris struck Rua, and he was left unharmed to retaliate. He had been chanting in his mind the entire time, and as he came out of the roll, his right hand was swathed in a blue glow. He dropped his sword and threw the Impulse spell at the enraged Master of Darkness. The glowing blue orb shot through the air, evaporating the rain in its way, and slammed into Ziatoch's body, throwing him backwards.

Ziatoch easily righted himself and stayed on his feet. He glared coldly at his green-eyed opponent, who readied himself for the next attack. _Fool_, the dark warrior thought darkly. Once more he sheathed his unholy demonblade and held up his empty right hand as he began to chant. His eyes closed as he reached deeply into himself and drew on the dark power granted by his master's gift, the Wings of Chaos. Rua's eyebrow rose curiously, and then he froze in horror as an orb of blue electrical energy formed in front of Ziatoch's gauntleted hand. The renegade paladin started backing away as black and purple electricity entered the spell's focal point and morphed the ball into a dancing cacophony of blue, purple, and black lightning forced into a tightened orb as Ziatoch's chanting continued.

Ziatoch's eyes opened and landed on Rua just as the green-eyed warrior turned and dashed towards the other side of the pavilion. The orb of electricity swelled with power in his hand. "It's time for you to die, Dragonheart!" he screamed as he hopped forward, crouching low, and flung his Chaos Bolt spell high into the air from an underhand swing. Rua watched anxiously as the multicolored orb of electricity streaked through the rain and into the sky. And suddenly, it exploded. A widening shockwave of energy spread out across the sky, changing colors rapidly, before it faded out of existence. Rua braced for impact.

The true effects of the spell hadn't even begun and the ring burned crimson. The barrier had been thrown up automatically just as the green-eyed warrior sheathed his blade and threw up his kite shield. The sky roared as the first gigantic lightning bolt blasted out of the epicenter of the magical orb's explosion. The dark blue tine lanced out into the remains of the fountain destroyed by Ziatoch's spell and obliterated it. Rua threw himself out of the way as another bolt, this one black, shot out towards him just as more bolts struck down at various other parts of the pavilion, each either blue, purple, or black in color.

Another black bolt lanced down into the edge of the pavilion and seemed to move forward, its energy shearing through the base of a tower and the vital supports beneath. An ungodly groan tore through the air as the building began to topple over. Rua immediately looked up at it and hastily scrambled out of the way as the leaning tower fell through the air, finally crashing into the ground. The concussion following knocked the green-eyed warrior off of his feet, causing him to fall forward through a puddle. The breath was knocked from his lungs as he touched down, the combined force of his armor and the street finally doing him in. He could still feel the blood flowing from his wounds as he pushed himself up off the ground with his right arm. Kneeling on one leg, the renegade paladin reached into his pouch and drew out his last healing potion and downed it before tossing the bottle away. It was one of the weaker potions, and his wounds didn't fully heal. He looked around at the damage created by the Chaos Bolt before the spell finally dissipated.

It was a picture of devastation. Both fountains and been reduced to nothing from the lightning, the holes that had been created from the blasts were filling up with water, and rubble had been thrown everywhere from the many ruined buildings around the pavilion. One of the entrances had been completely blocked off by the fallen tower, and another tower had collapsed into the other buildings. The lightning storm that still danced around the air, combined with the multiple fires dancing inside the ruined shops and inns illuminated the ruined area in an eerie crimson glow. The rain fell harder than ever. The Master of Darkness stood at the other end of the pavilion, his head thrown back as he roared with cruel laughter, his now-drawn demonblade surrounded in its unholy light. As he did, mist began to fill their destroyed arena.

Rua grounded the point of his gemmed longsword into the street and used it to push himself up. The blade spun in hand once as he readied himself for combat once more. He glared at the Master of Darkness, feeling nothing but cold fury even as the heat of battle warmed him and prevented him from feeling the chill of the rain and fog. He threw his head back once, managing to toss his water-slick hair out of his line of vision. Ziatoch had stopped laughing and was gazing silently at Rua, and then he started to smile. Another chant rose from his lips as he continued to peer darkly at his nemesis. Four large spheres of blood appeared around him, revolving around him at a slow pace that soon began to increase. The Master of Darkness was drawing on the well of power that was entombed within his helm, the Gaze of Terror.

Rua cursed again as he saw Ziatoch renew his assault with a spell just as powerful and as dangerous as the last one he had used. The bloody orbs began to spin around the dark warrior faster and faster, and then exploded. Droplets of blood were flung into the air, only to be sucked back around the Master of Darkness as the whirlwind continued. The red-eyed warlord seemed to be encased in a shield made entirely of blood. And just as suddenly, the droplets multiplied as the spinning began to expand outward. The mists swirled furiously as the maelstrom whipped it into a chaotic frenzy.

The renegade warrior chanted quickly as he launched two fireballs into the swirling vortex of Ziatoch's Blood Storm spell, and quickly followed up with a Pulse Laser. Unfortunately, the spells were too weak to break through the unholy spectacle, as the fireballs were caught up in the windstorm and thrown away, and the mana beam of his more mysterious ability seemed to evaporate into an azure mist that was swallowed by the fog as it neared the tornado. The spell's effects widened as it grew faster and faster still, the whirlwind catching up the rubble born of Ziatoch's previous attack. Rua leaped back as the Blood Storm grew closer to his position and danced away, dodging whatever chunk of rock that broke free of the maelstrom and was thrown through the rain.

Meanwhile, Ziatoch decided now was the time to strike. In the middle of the Blood Storm, the Master of Darkness threw down his sword and shield and concentrated on two particular spells. He held out both of his hands as he chanted, and the black orb for the Shadow Beam appeared. He continued his chanting, and red lightning began to swarm all around it. The orb grew larger still, and stygian fire seemed to flare up within. Stepping forward, the red-eyed warlord pumped both of his hands forward and attacked. The Shadow Beam blasted out even larger than before, now emanating a red light and surrounded by crimson electricity. It ripped through the bloody wave of his previous spell with ease, just as it was about to die out. Rua stared in horror as the black energy filled his vision as it neared before throwing up his shield, closing his eyes and praying for his ring's assistance, even though it still glowed brightly. More shrapnel from the Chaos Bolt's fury flew at him from odd angles thanks to the dying effects of the Blood Storm.

The explosion shook the entire pavilion as black energy bloomed from Rua's position. The fog filled in the absence left by the strengthened Shadow Beam, and the rain fell still. The Master of Darkness willed his sword and shield back to him before stepping forward, walking out of the area cleared by his Blood Storm spell. He started laughing as he took in the rubble strewn around the smoke that was slowly being scoured away by the falling rain. He soon quieted, and smiled cruelly at the carnage.

"It's over," he declared triumphantly.

The smoke was beginning to thin as the rain slowly evaporated it. Ziatoch's face twisted in a snarl when he recognized a human figure standing up within the smoke. The smoke cleared to reveal Rua, unharmed him his assault. The green-eyed warrior still had his kite shield up, and his sword was drawn and at the ready. He opened his eyes and stared confidently at the Master of Darkness, a smirk etched across his scarred face. "No," he stated, "Not quite."

The dark warrior's eyes narrowed dangerously as his grip tightened around Kasra's hilt. However, before he could attack, he noticed the glowing blue orb at the tip of Rua's longsword, and Rua made an upward slash with it. The orb flew straight up in the air and then shot downward of it's own accord, and before Ziatoch realized what was happening, it had touched the ground before him and a blue ring of energy shot out around it.

The red-eyed warlord was flung backward violently as the wave of eldritch blue flame blasted upward from the Thunder Blow attack. His energy shield had absorbed most of the attack, but he had been surprised and unprepared, and the amount of damage that he received staggered him. He skidded across the drenched street before rolling to a stop. His black cape was soaked and in tatters, but already trying to knit itself back together, thanks to the enchantments placed on his armor. He pushed himself up off the ground onto one knee, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his gauntleted hand. He stared cruelly at Rua, who was now standing and slowly advancing on him, like Ziatoch had done before. He opened his mouth to speak, as if to respond to Ziatoch's earlier question and warning.

"Come," the green-eyed warrior said coldly, "It is time to die."

The Master of Darkness stood up and readied his own blade. He no longer felt the pain caused by Rua's attack; his sword was already using its power to rejuvenate him. His dark blade was held out before him, pointed at the green-eyed warrior, who stopped and peered warily at his foe. Elemental energy began to gather at the Soul Crusher's tip, and formed into a sphere. Dark magic was soon being fed to it, and although the orb grew more powerful, it shrank, seeming to recede into the unholy demonblade that Ziatoch carried, and it soon disappeared, causing his sword to vibrate violently. The two warriors' narrowed their eyes at the same time.

They struck at the same time. Ziatoch's spells ripped its way out of Kasra, becoming a gigantic orb of negative and elemental energy. A golden light sprang up around Rua as he swung his gemmed longsword in a tight arc with one hand. The illuminated warrior's blade struck the red-eyed warlord's spell head-on, and light flared everywhere as Rua's glowing power reversed the polarity of the attack. He felt his sword heat up through the leather gauntlet he wore, and heard a sizzling hiss as his blade struck the magical force. Ziatoch's eyes widened in shock as his spell flared outward with bright light. He screamed; Rua screamed; the world exploded in fire.

* * *

Alright, all completed chapters are up. Nice little cliffy, eh? I thought so. I'm nearly completion on Chapter Eight: The Aftermath, so keep an eye out for it. C'ya.

Rising Dragon


	10. 08: The Aftermath

Sorry for the long wait in the update! Too much crap going on in my life, but I certainly hope I'll be able to get things in order soon. Tried something new, each scene switches between during Ziatoch's seige of New Tristram and after. Hopefully you'll be able to figure it out.

* * *

Diablo

The Awakening of Chaos

Chapter Eight

The Aftermath

"_What's happening to me?"_

"_Falling…"_

"_Falling…"_

"_Into darkness…"_

The black void pressed in all around him; crushing him; consuming him. He descended through it rapidly, unable to slow or stop. First he had been sleeping, and after the torment of his previous life, he had been glad. Now this. Dropping down into this new, darkened hell. His thoughts surged as he plunged into his abyss, turning his mind into a maelstrom of thought and emotion. He desperately reached out, trying to grab something; anything that would slow the fall. He tried to think of spells that would help him slow, but his mind was too chaotic, and nothing came to him.

And thus, he fell still. Deeper and deeper into the abyss.

* * *

A pair of green eyes slowly cracked open, squinting against the light. Rua's mind was a whirlwind, but after staring blankly for several minutes, it calmed. 

He was staring up at an unfamiliar wooden ceiling in what appeared to be an old cabin, one of many that dotted the forested countryside of Khanduras. There was a slight pressure against his left arm. The green-eyed warrior sat up a little in the bed he laid in, letting the sheet slide down his bare chest and revealing the several other battle-scars that crisscrossed it. Soft morning light shone through a window, and he looked at it in slight confusion. He couldn't remember coming here, or lying in this bed. He could barely think. There were sounds coming from seemingly everywhere. _What's going on…?_

He felt that slight pressure on his arm shift, and he looked down at it. Reddish-brown hair draped it as Alasea's head rested against it. The dancer was sound asleep, with her upper body resting on the small bed that he was in. She was still clothed in the outfit she had worn during the battle. Rua gently slipped his arm away from her and ran his hand down her hair. _You've been watching me all night, haven't you? _He wondered distantly.

He lay there, gently stroking the woman's hair, trying to figure out what had happened to him. He remembered that there had been a battle, a big one. Ziatoch had been there. He could feel that he was undressed, and his ring was no longer on the third finger of his right hand. Calmly, Rua slid out of bed, walked around it, and gently picked the sleeping woman up in his arms and laid her down onto the bed. She murmured his name in her sleep once, but didn't wake up. Rua walked over to a table, took his pants, and slipped them on. When he turned back to the table, he noticed that his ring wasn't there, and he frowned. He was about to reach for his shirt when a glint of light on metal caught his eye. He looked past his clothing, at his sword. He walked over and picked it up by the hilt.

The blade ended only a foot from the crossguard, as if it had been melted. Two of the gems were gone, and the remaining two were cracked straight through. The weapon had been rendered completely useless. It all came back to him, then… the strange demon that resisted his magic, the assault on New Tristram, surviving Ziatoch's attack and then batting his last spell back with his blade. The weapon that had served him so faithfully for ten years was now a ruined husk of its former self. _Hopefully I'll find a sword that's just as good, _he thought as he laid the useless sword back down on the table, _maybe I'll find the sword from my dream._

The green-eyed warrior reluctantly let go of the weapon and grabbed the blue shirt and darker coat, quietly slipping it on and belting it. As he sat down in a chair next to table and put on his boots, he decided that it was time to find Deckard Cain and ask him about his ring. Find out exactly what this "Halo of Love" was meant for. He stood up and put on his cape, which looked as if someone had sewn it back together, and tied his ocarina to his belt, before walking over to the door.

Rua looked over his shoulder one last time, gazing at the sleeping dancer that lay in his bed, and allowed himself a small smile before opening the door and stepping out into the soft morning light.

* * *

Memories rushed in and out of his flailing mind as he descended through the shadows. He relived all of the torment. Memories of wandering through darkened halls, hearing the sounds of chittering monsters. Memories of ebon-armored men rushing him on a hellish landscape as their dark master roared in fury. Memories of traveling across the world. Memories of his final battle, of overwhelming the warriors that had challenged him. It all came back to him, and he futilely tried to block out the words, hearing all of them. He screamed with each wound remembered. 

_The darkness cannot stand before me._

_Your fires are _nothing _compared to mine, monster!_

_Leave me alone… you know not what you deal with…_

_Welcome to oblivion!_

Had his mind not been preoccupied with the nightmares of his past, he would've realized that he had begun to slow. Perhaps he wasn't doomed to fall endlessly through the void. Perhaps he still had a destination… a purpose.

Without warning his mind suddenly cleared of memory and he took note of his slowing descent. He righted himself as he fell, slowing the entire way, and soon, his feet gently made contact with some surface. He looked around for any discernable surroundings, but in all directions only laid that infinite darkness. Finding nothing of interest, he walked off into the blackness.

But quite shortly after he had begun, a voice with a strange, echoing quality stopped him.

"Hello."

He spun around to face the voice, and his breath caught. A majestic being floated a foot in the air. This new interloper was clothed in bright golden armor and robes, and a shimmering longsword was strapped to its hip. A large hood covered its head, shadowing its face from view. A pale light seemed to emanate from the floating newcomer, barely illuminating the darkness. Parts of the being's armor were shaped like small silver bird wings that extended from where its shoulder blades were. But what truly set this being apart from anything else were the many furiously whipping tendrils of glowing white energy that emanated from the being's back, giving off the illusion of wings. The tendrils soon calmed and began to fold on themselves, forming into four glowing wings. This being was easily recognizable as an Archangel… but this one was one he knew. Because this one he had battled against and won.

"_Tyrael."_

The being nodded once as it settled itself down on the darkness that created the ground that he stood on. "It has been a while," the enigmatic angel said.

"_Have you come to punish me for my deeds, Archangel? Is this why we're in this hellish void? Why don't you just kill me and end this madness? It'd be much easier for us all if you did."_

Tyrael only continued to peer at him, saying nothing. After several moments, when the Archangel was sure that he wasn't going to go into another outburst, he spoke again. This time on a completely different subject, and the reason why he had brought him here in the first place.

"The monster that destroyed you means to free himself from his prison. Would you have your revenge?"

He stayed silent. Revenge? Against the demon who had done this to him? He felt a cold fury rise up in him.

"_Yes… I would."_

"Then to do so, you must do something for me," Tyrael told him. He held out his right arm out to his side, and a faint image of a young man with brown hair, green eyes, and three scars on his face appeared. The man seemed to be wearing a dark blue shirt and coat, black trousers, and a red cloak. The image's face reminded him of himself from years ago. The image flickered, and he could've sworn that for a moment, the newcomer was adorned in regal dark blue-violet and silvery-blue armor, colors of the ocean and pale moonlight. But it flickered back to him wearing his original outfit.

"You must keep an eye on this man," said the angel, "He is growing in strength, and has proven himself to be the only person capable of standing up against the growing evil in your world. But soon his spirit will be broken, and he will need guidance."

He turned to the majestic being and stared coldly at him.

"_Why must I do this? You've never had trouble watching over others. You've done it for centuries."_

"Because if you help him, he will lead you to vengeance."

Surprise welled up within him. This man will lead him to his goal? "_What must I do?"_

"You are to be a guardian and teacher to the one who would be your world's savior," said the Archangel, "You must keep him from the harm others would see upon him and from the harm he would do upon himself. After that, you must be his teacher."

"_Teach him what?"_

"You will know when the times comes," intoned Tyrael, "If you accept this task I have lain before you, the vengeance you seek will undoubtedly present itself. Will you guide him?"

He stared at the divine being for several long moments. He could do it, he realized. Had he not already learned how to avoid the irreversible mistakes, during his last adventure? The one that had begun his torment? He had.

"_I will."_

_

* * *

_  
Gray clouds hung solemnly over the paltry forest that the band of survivors had hid in. They surrounded a nearby cabin, which one of the healers had claimed to heal the most badly injured of the survivors—Rua Dragonheart, who had faced the Master of Darkness once again. In the distance, the ruined city of New Tristram could be seen. Ominous black clouds hung over, and a red tinge illuminated it, keeping it visible for miles around.

The green-eyed warrior stepped outside of the cabin he had been resting and gazed at what appeared to be a shoddy campsite. Several tents had been erected, and townspeople and warriors went about on errands. He noticed that many of the people wore bandages and used crutches to get around. He kept an eye out for his companions, but didn't see them. _They might be at a different camp… if they made it out at all._ Sighing regretfully, he set out on finding where he was and if there were any other survivors.

As he wandered around, he noticed that many of the warriors were on guard for possible demon attacks, stationed around the perimeter of the camp. He noticed that all of them were weary, some of them even injured. One of the warriors he passed by stood out; he was a gigantic, black-skinned man proportionate to a barbarian, and he carried two large weapons with him. This man had given him a calculating look as they passed, but Rua, who had fought monsters much more dangerous, thought nothing of it.

He eventually made his way to a tent, one considerably larger than the rest. Two warriors were positioned outside of its entrance, but neither made any move to prevent him from entering. Inside the tent, there were a few chests, one of them large enough for a shield to fit in, a table with several books that Rua recognized, two chairs, and Deckard Cain. The old sage was wearing an old, travel-worn gray robe, and using a gnarled staff to move about. He broke out into a bright smile as he noticed Rua.

"Ah, so you've awoke at last," he said, gesturing for him to enter while he sat down in one of the chairs, "Come in. I'm sure we have much to discuss."

As Rua sat down in the other chair across from him, he asked, "How long have I been out?"

"I would say that it's been nearly three days."

Rua blinked.

"Your body was close to failing when you were brought back to Alasea and your companions," the Horadrim sage explained, "The magical energy you were harnessing should've destroyed you. If anything, it is the only reason you managed to fend off the Master of Darkness as long as you did."

"What of Ziatoch? He's dead, right?" Rua asked, "Gods, he has to be dead."

Cain hesitated. "I'm afraid not. The one who returned you to use said that he is still very much alive."

Rua cursed. He had been so close!

In the meantime, Cain was scrutinizing him closely. This man was the brother of Kalia Dragonheart, and so far, the only person who has ever battled Ziatoch and lived. Not even the Heroes survived their battle with him, and they had defeated the Three in combat, who, together, were invincible and far more powerful than the Master of Darkness. _And he has the first piece, _the old man thought, _Perhaps Kalia was right. Perhaps he really is the one._ He reached over to the table and picked up the Halo of Love. Rua's eyes widened, and he gratefully took the proffered ring back and slipped it on his fingers. Immediately the red gem flashed once and the faint golden halo began circling around it. Then, as they began to watch, an emerald light formed around the jewel, pulsing steadily.

"Now that we're no longer under attack," Cain said, "I believe it is time to tell you the significance of the Halo of Love."

"All I know is that it's giving me shields and protecting me from attacks."

"Indeed. The Halo will also detect the presence of objects like it, as well as the presence of it opposing brethren."

Rua looked at the Horadrim sage curiously. What was he talking about?

"You know of the Armor of Hell's Darkness," he said, guessing what Rua wondered correctly, "But what you are unaware of is another set of armor attuned with positive energy… the Armor of Heaven's Light."

The renegade paladin's eyes widened. Of course! The balance of nature! He should've known there'd be armor opposite of Ziatoch's. "Why is the Ring glowing then?" he asked.

"Because I too have a piece of this Armor. It has been waiting for one who would become the counterpart and nemesis of the Master of Darkness," he explained, and when he noticed Rua's blank stare, he continued, "The Champion of Light must also walk the earth so long as the Master of Darkness threatens it. And I believe you, Rua, are destined to be Heaven's avatar on Sanctuary."

Rua couldn't believe what he was hearing. Him, the Champion of Light? Counterpart of Ziatoch? It was unbelievable. But it made sense. He had this ring, and he kept surviving against Ziatoch so far. Neither had been able to overpower each other. He continued to contemplate the possibility that he was destined to be a hero of old.

Meanwhile, the old black man stood up and hobbled over to the large chest in the back of the tent. He waved his hands while casting a simple spell and it sprang open. He stooped over and pulled out a large, flat bundle, and returned to the table. Rua snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the bundle with a mixture of excitement and apprehension. When Cain handed it over, he took it in trembling hands. "This," the old man said, "is the Aegis of Courage, one of the seven components of the Armor of Light. Your sister found it and brought it to me."

He unwrapped the bundle to reveal what could be the most elegant kite shield he had ever seen.

Instead of it being the usual checkered yellow-and-white pattern of most kite shields, its edges were made of a dark blue metal. The center of the shield's surface was a polished silvery-blue, and it reminded him of moonlight. Directly in the shield's center was a pointed golden cross, its thin arms stretching to the edges of armor. He could feel its power hidden away in the metal, and as he touched its smooth surface, he felt its power link with his ring, which ceased its emerald shine. Words for a powerful spell whispered through his mind.

"Nice shield," said a cocky voice behind them. Rua turned around to see his friends, all looking a little worse for wear. Alasea looked as if she just woken up, and when Rua's eyes met her own, she flushed and looked down. "How come you always get the cool stuff, boss?" continued Jordan.

"Probably because he's not a thief and people appreciate him," Relayia muttered from Alasea's shoulder, rolling her yellow eyes.

The three women laughed as Jordan glared at the pink-furred animal. Rua smiled. He was glad they were getting along. The sound of a throat being cleared quieted them all, and Rua turned back to Cain after propping the Aegis against his chair. The old sage was holding a long, yellowed piece of parchment in his hand. He gave it to Rua, and when he recognized the handwriting, the green-eyed warrior's heart stopped.

* * *

He soon felt the change. His body seemed to grow taller and stronger, and he groaned from the pain of the transformation. His eyes burned. A dark power welled up within him. A sleek black-feathered bird rushed through his vision, cawing. Its black eyes suddenly glowed red as its body froze in midair, facing him, staring into his soul. 

"Then rise, and become greater than you once were, Tamnarok," Tyrael said, "You are an Angel; the Angel of Death, but like all those before you, your wings come from that of the raven, a bird of death."

He screamed as his newfound power filled him like torrents of fire and ice.

"Embrace the power of death, so that you may bring death to your enemy and prevent the deaths of those under your protection, guardian."

His eyes blazed with pain as they burned. His mind instantly analyzed his strengths and weaknesses, storing them away in his mind. He could feel his new abilities as they flowed through his body, making him greater than he once was. The bird shrieked as it felt his power inside of itself. And quite suddenly, it stopped.

He staggered, putting one foot forward to stop him from falling. The bird issued a weak cry and fell, but the newly christened Tamnarok instantly reached out and caught it, cradling it gently in his strong hands. He looked up and stared at Tyrael, holding the bird in one hand. The hooded being stared back coolly, and although he couldn't see his face from beneath the hood, he knew the Archangel was smiling.

The majestic being held his hand out to the Angel of Death palm down, and a flash of light startled him. The light cleared, and in its place was a sword very familiar to Tamnarok. It was a crystal sword of elegant and dark design. Its hilt and crossguard were a glossy black and of ornate design, the hilt was wrapped in black leather while the crossguard came out on either side, curving upwards with two metal strips set into it parallel to its blade, which was made up of two large and indestructible crystals. The larger one was an azure blue, while a smaller and thinner crimson crystal ran up its center. The majestic blade seemed to eat at the pressing darkness.

"_Shadowsbane. So, they gave the blade to you after my defeat?"_

Tyrael nodded. "It is only fitting that you be reunited with your original sword," he said, holding it out. Tamnarok took the weapon, comforted by its familiar weight. Reunited at last. Strangely, the blade's mystical power wasn't conflicting with his newfound powers, despite their opposing alignments. Instead, they seemed to merge and strengthen. He smiled.

"And now, it is time to begin your journey," said the Archangel, "Go to the rebuilt city of Tristram, Tamnarok. There, you will find the one you seek. He is in grave danger, and you must return him to safety."

Tristram? How appropriate. He nodded, and the raven fluttered out of his hand and landed on his shoulder, cawing. The Archangel nodded slightly and faded from view, his aura still illuminating the void for a brief moment. Tamnarok closed his eyes, which no longer burned. The world seemed to lurch under his feet, and then he felt a cool breeze blow across his face. He opened his eyes and viewed the temperate climate of the Western Kingdom of Khanduras. He was back home.

They were in a small forest, near one of the many ruined cabins that had been desecrated by the demonic tribes of Fallen and Goatmen roaming the countryside. It was evening, and the cries and chittering of monsters could be heard. Tamnarok stretched out with his senses, and realized that his coming hadn't gone unnoticed. Rogues and demons were approaching quickly. The raven took to the air with a shrill cry. He opened his eyes and gripped Shadowsbane hilt tightly. "Let them come," he whispered harshly.

Arrows soon flew out of the trees. But Tamnarok, the newly reborn Angel of Death, was already gone. Three corrupted Rogues stepped out of the darkness of the forest, looking around warily. All three had longbows in their hands, arrows nocked in each. A black blur shot out from a tree, and the Rogues barely had time to react. They fired their arrows, but Tamnarok had already dashed past them, his blade leaving a red and blue trail as he swung. The Rogues turned, and one started shriek when her arm was separated at the elbow. Her blood sprayed out thickly, and she collapsed, dying from shock. The woman's soul was visibly torn from her body as it was dragged down into Hell.

He spun around, a pair of throwing daggers appearing in his free hand. With a powerful throwing motion, the two remaining assailants collapsed dead in the small meadow with the knives in their throats. Tamnarok walked over to them at a brisk pace as the women's souls also issued forth from their bodies, and looked down at the three corpses. It was a shame that fourteen years had not been able to reverse the corruption brought about by Andariel during the reign of Diablo. He wished he could pity them, but he could not. All he could do was hope he found the man and achieve vengeance. He closed his eyes and transferred his consciousness to the raven he was bound to. He had been flying in small circles above the meadow, and noticed that other demons were preparing to throw themselves into the fray, but his display of speed and ferocity had frightened them. He reminded them of their new master.

Just as the bird settled itself on the roof, Tamnarok opened his eyes. He put himself in a ready stance, clasping both of his hands around Shadowsbane's hilt. A Blood Hawk burst out of the wilderness, followed by several others; soon it was an entire flock. The leathery-skinned, reptilian mutant avians shrieked terribly as they shot towards him, and his blade flashed out rapidly, leaving a red-blue trail as it struck down each monster. He pivoted, letting go of his sword with one hand and letting multiple daggers appear in it. Hearing the flap of a cloak, the Angel of Death let fly with his daggers, striking down a group of Fallen that had appeared, each blade finding its way into a throat, head, or heart.

He spun around with blinding speed once more on the point of his toes, another dagger appearing his hand, and slashed out the throat of a corrupt, sword-wielding Rogue that had dashed at him from behind and leapt through the air, hoping to land a surprise kill. As the dying woman dropped the ground, drowning in her own blood, Tamnarok practically disappeared into the forest. Monsters began screaming as a dark apparition darted in and out through the trees, brutally tearing out the throat of any demon he found with knife or sword.

A Goatman made a downward chop with its axe as he neared, only to miss completely before crying out in agony as Shadowsbane's glowing blade burst from its chest. Tamnarok tore his blade free and threw a pair of daggers at two Blood Hawks that were diving at him, before spinning around in search of another demon, not even bothering to watch as the two beasts were knocked out of the air. An arrow struck the ground by his feet while another shot past his face, and he ducked slightly as he looked at the source of the attacks. Two corrupt Rogues were busily nocking another arrow into their bows, and he frowned. He shot forward with ungodly speed, surprising both women. Before either knew it, he was upon him, and as his body twisted about, Shadowsbane effectively hamstringed one woman as he reversed the grip on his knife and plunged it into the breastbone of the other. He leapt backwards as their souls were torn from the bodies and dashed out of the forest, Shadowsbane leaving an intricate trail as he lashed out at his foes.

He cleared the woods, like the proverbial bat out of Hell. A Goatman shrieked as the being passed, but then stumbled over backwards as a dagger seemed to appear in its chest. He was heading straight for the old cabin and the gigantic Wendigo, the last of his opponents, standing in front of its door. He leapt through the air, his outstretched foot catching the shaggy beast with such strength that they both crashed through the door. Tamnarok automatically rolled with the fall, coming out of it before crashing into a table. He whipped around and impaled the corrupt beast's head with his sword. He stood up as the Wendigo died and pulled his blade free, watching indifferently as the faint glow of his weapon scoured away all the blood it had accumulated over the battle. "Battle?" he said to himself coldly, "it was a slaughter. They never stood a chance."

A flicker of movement caught his eye and he turned quickly, another dagger appearing in his hand. All he found was his own reflection in a full-body mirror. Curious about his first look at himself in over a decade, the man willed the blade away and walked over to the mirror.

He was covered in dark clothing. A black coat covered a dark gray shirt, and his long legs were covered in black trousers. Soft black leather boots covered his feet, and black gloves wrapped around his hands. A dead black cloak hung around his shoulders. Around his neck was a dark gray amulet, shaped like a single, glaring eye, with a blood red ruby for its pupil. He calmly sheathed Shadowsbane in a scabbard that had been strapped to his side. Long black hair hung about to his shoulders, framing a pale face. His lips had gone black, and three black streaks ran from the corners of his eyes. His eyes, though, were what held his attention. They were no longer their original color of a dark brown, like stone. Now they were a fathomless red that glowed brightly in the darkening house.

The shrill cry of his raven caught his attention, and he turned to it as it perched in the windowsill. It let out another cry and fluttered through the house and out the crushed doorway. "Yes," he whispered, "it is time to save him."

And with that, the Angel of Death darted through the door and into the ever-darkening eve, towards the unsuspecting fortress city of New Tristram.

* * *

Rua's eyes widened as he took in the flowing, elegant script that Kalia had always wrote with. 

_You would do best to memorize what I put down on this letter, and then destroy it afterwards, brother. That you are reading this means that events have fallen out at the city as I hoped…_

He stopped, staring, then read on quickly.

_Since the first day I went to Entsteig, I have known—I need not tell you how; you will learn on your own—that a day would come that when the land of Khanduras would lose its capitol once more to the Master of Darkness. I did not know what would happen—if what I feared has happened, might the gods rest the peoples' stolen souls. I journeyed to our true birthplace, Rua—the place of rumor for which we took our last names from—the Dragon Ruins. There I learned three different variants to our world's future, but if you are reading this, I am gone, and Ziatoch has yet to defeat you…_

Rua's hands tightened on the paper. She had known. Known, and still went on to fight him and die. Hurriedly he smoothed out the crumpled letter.

_The remaining two paths were far worse. Down one, Ziatoch struck you down in your latest battle, and Kasra consumed your soul. Down the other, you were defeated, and taken to his lair, and when your friends next saw you, you had become like Aram Kiros Denamon—a second Dark Wanderer, the host of Diablo._

_I hope your friends have all survived unharmed. You see, if you continue on your quest—which undoubtedly you will—their aid will be paramount to its success, or you will fall, and our world with you._

_I could not tell you, for the simple reason that I was not worth it. Even given the choices, I could not be sure which you would pick. You have always been a stubborn lad, and I knew that you would have taken a dagger's wound to avoid me coming to harm and call it a fair trade. I dared not risk that you would place my life above your own, certain that you could sidestep fate. Not a risk, I fear, but a foolish certainty, no matter how many times it has saved you from Ziatoch's wrath…_

"My choice, Kalia," he muttered, "It was my choice." Both Alasea and Relayia gave him sympathetic looks.

_A few final points._

_You must now go to the Dragon Ruins. It is there that you will acquire what you seek, what Ziatoch seeks, and learn of where you must go afterwards. Do not think that the Dragon Ruins are myth—we have both been there, for it is where we were born. Almost everything you may hear in Sanctuary carries the basis of fact—even the final resting place of Horazon, and the fabled lost kingdom of Ureh. It is there, in the Dragon Ruins, that I had Tyrael hide my old sword. I believe you will need a stronger weapon to surpass the challenges soon to come your way. To reach this ancient sanctuary, you must return to Entsteig, and find the old Waypoint there I showed you. That one was not created by the Horadrim, as you saw from the difference in its size and the symbol carved upon it. This Waypoint is your key to reaching the Dragon Ruins._

_Eventually you must unite the world against Ziatoch. His might is great, and with the barriers between worlds weakening, it will only be a matter of time before he marshals all of Hell's forces against us in his bid to take the Karognis. You may already have made such alliances in New Tristram and other places… but you will eventually meet a king of an ancient royalty. He will be your greatest asset, and you will meet him soon. I pray that you know what to do._

_Lastly, be wary of the one now known as Tamnarok. I cannot approve wholly, but I understand Tyrael's decision. Perhaps it was the only way. Yet be careful of him. He is the same man now that he always was. Remember that always._

_May Heaven illumine and protect you. You will do well._

It was signed simply "Kalia." She had almost never used her last name.

He reread the second last paragraph closely. He honestly didn't know whom she was talking about. He had never met anyone with the name of Tamnarok. And if he remembered correctly, the word "tamnarok" was of a long forgotten language that Kalia had forced him to learn years ago. It meant Angel of Death. But from the sound of it, she made it seem as though he wouldn't be his enemy. Also, it would seem that she had planned everything out for him. She left her old weapon at a place that's been considered a myth for centuries? He couldn't understand why. That weapon was possibly the only thing they had retained of whatever family they once had. For all that he could remember, both of them were siblings, living in an orphanage in Khanduras. The only thing that had been left to them was that sword of hers. Why would she leave it? Kalia had shrouded herself in mystery to the end. To the end.

That's what he was trying to avoid with all this blather about keeping secrets. She had known what would happen and come as bravely as any of the Heroes would. Came to her death knowing it waited. She had died because she believed that he could do something better than she, a woman of great renown, physical strength, and magical prowess, could. His eyes fell on the last words.

… _You will do well._

They cut like a cold razor.

* * *

The Goatman stepped back and whinnied in fear, holding its axe up in a desperate attempted to block Tamnarok's downward stroke. His blue-and-red sword cut through both the axe's haft and the monster's skull, stopping at the base of the neck. He wrenched his blade out and pivoted, slashing out the throat of another Goatman that had approached him from behind. With both dead, he turned back and darted down the war-torn street in New Tristram. He had arrived at the city just as the so-called Master of Darkness weakened the barrier that separated the natural world from the unholy one. 

More monsters entered the street, and the Angel of Death stared at their incoming forms emotionlessly. _Fools to think they can deter me, _he thought coldly. He lowered his enchanted blade and crouched as they approached. When he saw them hesitate, he struck, dashing forward at inhuman speeds. He flew past each monster, stopping behind the group in a crouch, both hands clasping Shadowsbane's hilt, his black cloak settling down to the street. His sword's afterimage burned a frightening trail through the air past each demon, and one by one, the monsters collapsed from fatal wounds.

Tamnarok stood and sheathed his blade as it scoured away the blood from itself and turned to the scattered corpses. "Fools," he whispered. He turned back and proceeded down the road. As he did, he gazed up into the black clouds, noting the lightning dancing through it. _So, this was all made possible by destroying the Worldstone, _he thought, _Perhaps Tyrael made the wrong decision. _He closed his eyes and merged his conscience with the raven again, and gazed down at the city. Flames dotted the multitude of buildings, and he noticed the dozens of battles all over the city streets. Packs of demons roamed through the streets, actively seeking out any humans within the vicinity. The soldiers in this rebuilt fortress of humanity were attempting to evacuate the townspeople, battling demons as they appeared. The city was in chaos.

Rain began to fall from the reddish night sky, and Tamnarok quickened his search. He had already realized that New Tristram would fall to demons, just as its predecessor had. He could not allow the red-cloaked man die here. He would have his revenge.

The raven flew over a ruined pavilion near the castle. Inside, Tamnarok saw many dead bodies and the beginning of a battle. The first man, one wearing black and violet armor and carrying a black sword that glowed, had locked blades with a second man… one wearing blue and black clothing and a red cloak. His armor and sword were remarkably plain, but both warriors were throwing off an incredible amount of power. _Has humanity really grown so strong since I last set foot in Sanctuary? _He wondered distantly. It didn't matter, he could already tell that his abilities put him on an equal level with both of the warriors. He had found his quarry.

The Angel of Death opened his eyes and looked in the direction of the castle. He wouldn't have much time to get there. However, as he took two steps, a red portal slowly tore a hole in the air, spilling out more demons. He broke out into a run, daggers appearing in his hands once more. His opponents began to scream as he dove into them, the two knives he held slashing out at vitals, the blades plunging deep into their bodies with vicious stabs as they vainly tried to fend off their supernatural enemy. The last Goatman soon fell with two crossing slash wounds to its throat. Tamnarok stood in a crouch, his bloodstained daggers held out at his side and his eyes closed. "Couldn't beat me then, can't beat me now. Fools, all of them," he whispered.

He took off down the street, ducking into an ally. He leapt over the bodies of a pair of dead beggars, flinging both daggers into the heart of the Storm Lord that killed them as it looked up at him. Tamnarok exited out of the alley like a black blur into another battle, this one with humans present. Some distance ahead, strange light flared from what looked to be a monstrous battle, and Tamnarok knew it to be his quarry and his enemy. However, his way was blocked by the Megademons and the warriors fighting them. He smiled as he drew his glowing blade. _Finally._ _Monsters worthy of my talents._

A warrior dressed in full plate mail parried the fang-shaped sword of a Balrog with his battleaxe, forcing it away and taking a gigantic swing at the barbaric monster. It stepped out of the way as the steel blade chopped the air, and the experienced warrior changed its angle to prevent an overcorrection. However, the beast's clenched fist caught the man in his armored chest, knocking him back and causing him to lose his hold on his axe. He tried to push himself back up, only to see the Balrog above him holding its sword point down, ready to impale the warrior upon it. However, before it could, a red-blue glow streaked past it as thunder rolled overhead, passing through the monster's throat and shoulder. It toppled over, the head, arm, and right wing separating from the body and spraying black blood everywhere into the damp air. The warrior got up to see a man dressed entirely in black, holding a shining crystal sword, battling two more Balrogs with inhuman speed, water flinging from his clothing and blade with each movement. The monsters quickly fell to Tamnarok's onslaught, and the man threw himself at another unsuspecting Megademon and thrusting Shadowsbane into the back of its neck. The warrior scrambled to get his weapon and rejoined the battle.

A Balrog roared at the Angel of Death in fury and hunched over. As the beast unleashed a powerful wave of fire from its fanged maw, Tamnarok shot past the monster. It stopped its attack and looked around in confusion, only to scream in agony as Shadowsbane burst through the center of its chest. He drew out his blade and spun, his blade leaving a red-blue trail, and slashed the monster nearly in half. As he did, a terrifying roar tore through the air, and something exploded out of a building. All of the warriors were too preoccupied battling the Megademons for their lives, but Tamnarok easily saw the approaching Dracolich.

The undead beast was more serpentine than most others, but bones shaped like spikes jutted from its knee joints, a blade almost like an axe made up the point of its tail, and its forearms were unusually long. The beast stood up on its hind legs and shrieked, spreading its wings and whipping its tail furiously, damaging one of the buildings around it. Its cry seemed to promise the destruction of all that beheld it.

Tamnarok began to smile.

With a quick flourish, he readied his blade and charged the undead monster. It eyed him with its dead sockets as he approached, and without warning, lunged with its head, its jaws snapping. But by then, the Angel of Death had disappeared. It felt a slight pressure from the decayed nerves of the flesh still attached to its back and knew where its prey had gone. It roared in fury as something pierced the back of its skull, and it instinctively rolled over on its side to dislodge him. Its body crashed into a building opposite the one it damaged earlier, but Tamnarok had already shot off of the monster, his sword leaving a large gash down its foreleg.

Tamnarok landed gracefully on his feet a span away from his foe. He could feel the monster's fury as it righted itself. Just as it made its attack, lashing out with its jagged teeth, the Angel of Death whipped around, swinging Shadowsbane in a tight arc. The sword struck the monster across the snout, causing it to roar and rear up. Tamnarok saw his chance.

Leaping at an inhuman speed, he grabbed ahold of the beast by the ribcage, which was slightly fractured from the Dracolich's flailing. He gripped Shadowsbane tightly and slashed, cleaving the ribcage in two, and as he pulled on one of the ribs, he thrust his blade into the glowing soul of the undead beast. It roared in anger and pain, and the soul wavered fitfully before winking out of existence. The Dracolich's body collapsed all around him, and he strode out of the carnage unharmed, continuing on to his quarry as the warriors all looked at his leaving in awe.

The rain had by now turned into a storm. Lightning danced rapidly across the sky as the sky seemed to open up and flood the city with its downpour. He didn't know what kind of spell the Master of Darkness used, but Tamnarok could feel the unholy energy swarming all over New Tristram, and knew that this city was doomed, just like Tristram before it.

Bright light blazed from a great distance within the city, just ahead of Tamnarok. A high-pitched hum tore through the air for a brief second as the light gained in intensity before exploding into a massive pillar of fire. The shockwave shattered all of the windows in the buildings that lined the street he was walking down, and the Angel of Death grabbed a fistful of his cloak to shield himself from the shrapnel of broken glass. He was moved back several paces as the shockwave reached him, but he remained on his feet.

The man in black cursed his luck and began running down the glass-littered street. He knew that whatever caused that explosion had to have involved his quarry. It'd been fourteen years since he last felt a power that strong, and he almost felt a bit of fear from it. The last time he'd felt such a power did not go well for him.

Monsters began filling the street, whipped into a frenzy of confusion and fear by the massive explosion. A pair of daggers appeared in his hands as he tore into the fray, and quickly plunged the blades into the throats of two Goatman, shooting past them as they gurgled and drowned in their own blood, the blades still lodged in their necks.

A dagger appeared in his left had as he drew Shadowsbane with his right, and quickly flung it when his glowing sword was free. It hurtled through the air to penetrate the skull of a Fallen Shaman, causing the lesser demons in its brood to disband in fear. As the monsters tried to escape, a blue and red blur arced through them, trailing the path of destruction as a Fallen's head rolled across the rain-soaked pavement.

And still, the cloaked figure ran through the torrential storm that had enveloped the besieged city, flinging daggers into the throat, head, or heart of any monster that dared enter his path. Goatmen's pained cries could barely be heard over the downpour as he sprinted down the street, anxious to get to the source of the explosion and find his quarry, so that he may rescue him and begin his path of revenge. At the end of the street, Tamnarok looked back at the trail of corpses he left in his wake. "Pitiful," he murmured as he returned his attention to the pavilion before him.

Climbing over the ruins of the tower that blocked it off, the Angel of Death surveyed the carnage. It was a lesson in destruction. Rubble from the surrounding buildings littered the street, and the pavement had been melted into slag. Char marks from lightning and fire dotted the square, blackening the debris. A man in a shredded maroon cape, ragged blue and black clothing, and fractured armor, was propped up against a particularly large chunk of rock that jutted from the street. Most of his face was bloodied, though the rain was beginning to wash it away. His hair was matted from water, dirt, and blood, and in his hand he held a melted longsword. Tamnarok could tell he was unconscious; he could see that he was still breathing. Despite his injured appearance, Tamnarok was sure that this was the man he was looking for. He was distantly amazed that he still lived; an explosion such as the one he'd seen destroyed everything else around him. He leapt off the rock and dashed to him.

As he neared the injured warrior, he took note of the bloodstained clothes and the three distinctive scars on his face, though the ones on the right side of it was partially obscured by a trail of blood running down it from a cut on his temple. Another rill of blood escaped his mouth, but Tamnarok, magically attuned to his surroundings, knew that this was the least of his problems. Whatever he had done prior to the explosion was something that humans weren't meant to do, and he could feel that this man's body was starting to fail from it. Tamnarok reached down to pick him up and touched the ruined weapon in his hand, deciding to let the man keep it, when he heard a loud clatter on the opposite side of the pavilion.

His head whipped around to identify the disturbance. At the far end of the pavilion, a pair of Megademons leapt over the rubble, brandishing their twisted blades and looking around cautiously. Behind them, three Succubi and a Blood Lord followed them. The bovine-like creature sniffed the air, then started searching frantically. From what Tamnarok could tell, these monsters were frightened to death. Puzzled, Tamnarok looked amongst the ground.

He soon saw what the monsters had to be looking for. At the far corner of the pavilion laid a powerful-looking warrior adorned in black and violet plate mail, clutching a strange sword and black demonblade. This must be the famed Master of Darkness. He too seemed to be unconscious, but despite that, Tamnarok could feel that the warrior was brimming with dark power. Frowning, Tamnarok placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. Several more demons entered the pavilion, looking around, as the two Megademons made their way over to their fallen leader. He cursed. He was a superior opponent, but with this many demons, the man he had sough would be endangered in the fight.

However, the demons spotted him, but to his great surprise they did nothing but watch him warily. It dawned on him that they must feel the same way about Ziatoch, and didn't want to risk harm coming to him. Carefully, Tamnarok let go of his blade and hefted the injured man over his shoulder, and left the pavilion as quick as he could.

Sprinting away from the pavilion the Angel of Death darted between piles of debris while observing the destruction around him. The city was utterly destroyed from the flood of unholy creatures pouring into it from the red portals that randomly appeared. The screams of the fleeing survivors could barely be heard above the tempest that now assailed New Tristram.

Rounding a corner, the robed figure spotted the decaying corpse of the Dracolich. He quickly walked around it and into the building the creature had slammed into earlier. Picking his way through the thoroughly destroyed building, he deftly leapt to the second floor and jumped down to the street below.

Dodging down side streets and back alleys, Tamnarok quickly made his through the ruined city. He deftly avoided contact with the large groups of monsters now scouring the city, searching for any remaining survivors to devour, because he knew he could not fight and guarantee his quarry's safety at the same time. Turning a corner, he saw his raven perched on top of a roof across the square. Quickly sprinting across the open square, he ducked down in front of the building as the raven fluttered onto his shoulder.

Soon, he had made it to the edge of the city. Most of the houses here and been reduced to blackened heaps, and giant gaps in the city walls showed how the demons had entered New Tristram. Multiple bodies of townspeople littered the area, including those of women and children. Demons showed no mercy. Running outside the crumbling city walls, ignoring the startled yells of the guarding soldiers, he found that many humans had gathered, trying to gain a sense of order to escape. Children clung to their mothers as men loaded wagons with whatever supplies that they could so they'd have a fighting chance in surviving the wilderness.

He looked over at the nearest band of survivors, and cautiously approached them as he adjusted the still unconscious man on his shoulder. They eyed him warily, preparing for their last stand if the hooded figure turned out to be a demon. One of them was a large blond-headed man wielding a thick two-handed sword in one hand, while another was a blond-haired woman wore black leather armor while carrying two strange weapons that seemed to be blades attached to her knuckles. Two more women were in the group, one of them being a dark-skinned, raven-haired Zann Esu sorceress, the other being a brunette wearing native Khanduras clothing with a longbow slung over her shoulder. A strange, pink-furred cat stood on her shoulder, arching its back and staring at him. Tamnarok eyed the group with disinterest until he spotted an old wizened scholar in gray traveling robes.

His eyes widened when he recognized the old sage. Why had Deckard Cain returned to this place, knowing its dark history from fourteen years before? He couldn't possibly have forgotten the unholy tragedies that befell the many who lived in Tristram, horrors so great that the whole breadth of the world had learned of them. Who could ever forget the resurrection of Diablo, the Lord of Terror?

"Rua!"

Suddenly, the bow-carrying young woman shouted in alarm, causing the Angel of Death to look at her sharply, his red eyes narrowing dangerously as his free hand went to the hilt of his sword. She looked distraught, gazing anxiously at the body resting over his shoulder.

_So, his name is Rua, is it?_ _And this girl knows him? With Cain here, perhaps its best that I leave him in their hands for now. It looks as though my revenge will have to wait, _Tamnarok thought bitterly. Cain caught his eye, and though he did not show any emotion, he was sure the Horadric sage recognized him. The cloaked warrior stepped forward and bent down, laid Rua down onto the ground. His raven cawed and fluttered down onto his shoulder, looking at the group curiously. As he straightened, the girl made to rush over to the maroon-caped warrior's side, but the large man held out a hand to stop him, still looking at Tamnarok warily.

"Does he mean that much to you, girl?" he asked apathetically of the bow-wielding woman. She gasped, surprised that he would address her.

However, he didn't care about what she had to say. He only wanted their attention. "If you do, I suggest you get him to a healer. Or else your friend here won't last much longer," he continued coldly, causing the companions to stare at him fearfully, "and I would hate to see him die after such a valiant battle."

"The hell is that supposed to mean?" the blonde wielding the strange claw weapons snarled at him. He turned his head to her as he straightened, cocking his head to the side almost mockingly as he gazes at the leather-clad woman.

"It means, girl," he answered her, "that his body is failing, and that if you don't find him help, he will die."

Her eyes widened at the revelation, and the brunette with the bow slung around her shoulder clutched at her chest with her hand in shock. Showing no interest, he continued.

"His body is failing. He performed some sort of attack with magic that was too powerful for him to wield. If you don't get him to one of your surviving healers, his life is forfeit."

Tamnarok caught the eye of Cain again, and hoped that he'd be able to guide Rua until the day that he himself must become his teacher. Only then would he finally get his revenge. "He'll need your help most of all if he's to succeed in battling the Master of Darkness. You have knowledge in guiding would-be heroes, after all," he said to the old man. Cain nodded while watching him suspiciously. The Angel of Death turned to leave, and made his parting into the shadows of the wilderness with one last message to the Horadric sage.

"Don't screw up, storyteller. He's of no use to me dead."

And with one final caw from the bird perched atop his shoulder, Tamnarok disappeared into the darkness, and the sounds of battle echoed into the night and the young woman with the bow rushed to the side of her friend.

* * *

Finally! Another chapter done. Hope I get more reviews out of this one, I'll try to get the next chapter out soon, but considering my progress so far, don't hold me to it. But I do plan on completing this story whatever it takes. C'ya!

The Rising Dragon


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